Yk. Kemaloglu et al., THE EUSTACHIAN-TUBE CALIBER AND CRANIOFACIAL SKELETON IN GUINEA-PIGS, International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology, 38(1), 1996, pp. 53-63
The temporal bone and eustachian tube (ET) keep developing up to adult
hood in conjunction with facial growth, and the researchers considered
that insufficient tubal function in childhood might be related to siz
e, shape and position of the ET. In this study, we performed correlati
on and stepwise regression analyses between craniofacial skeletal para
meters and diameter of the cartilaginous ET in 90 guinea pigs. Data sh
owed that, not the potency of the lumen at the superior part of the ca
rtilaginous ET, but the configuration of the cartilage surrounding the
superior part of the ET, and position of the lateral lamina appeared
to be significantly associated with the balance of the growth potentia
ls between the naso-premaxillary unit, maxillo-zygomatic unit and the
anterior cranial base. Therefore, we may hypothesize that the balance
between these subunits of the developing craniofacial skeleton has det
erminative effect on tensor veli palatini muscle (TVPM).