The development of a didactic model to facilitate the understanding of the components and anatomical relations of the middle ear

Abstract

The middle ear is important from an anatomical and clinical point of view, seeing that it contains and allows the passages of structures, in addition to establishing relations with other regions of the head. However, the middle ear is small and difficult to dissect, making difficult the study in cadavers and understanding. In this context, professors and students from Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná developed an anatomical model of the middle ear, showing its main bones, membranes, muscles and nerves. The model was developed with acrylic plates joined to form a cube, each side representing one of the middle ear’s walls. The tympanic membrane and the secondary tympanic membrane were represented by an elastic fabric, which covered openings on the membranous wall and the labyrinthic wall, respectively. The auditory ossicles, the muscles and the nerves were made from polymer clay and positioned inside the cube, according to their characteristics and anatomical position in the middle ear. Furthermore, the auditory tube was represented by a plastic cone projecting from the carotid wall. The use of these low-cost anatomical models is an alternative to enable and improve learning. These initiatives favor the teaching of Human Anatomy, increasing understanding, the establishment of clinical correlations, and improving the academic education of health professionals.

Keywords

• Anatomic models
• Medical education;
• Anatomy teaching