Temporal bone – mastoid process

Temporal bone - mastoid process

Anatomy

Conical bulge from bottom surface, just behind and below external acoustic meatus. Contains small interconnected air cells/sinuses, which connect with middle ear; secrete mucus, buffer air pressure changes at eardrum.

Muscles attached; splenius and longissimus capitis, digastric, sternocleidomastoid.

Vignette

Mastoid, ie breast-shaped. Easily felt just behind earhole, medial to pinna. Mastoiditis usually an extension of middle-ear infection; before antibiotics a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children.

Interested in taking our award-winning Pocket Anatomy app for a test drive?