Prussak's space

Prussak's space is a small, aerated cavity in the middle ear, named after the German anatomist Alexander Prussak. It is located between the pars flaccida of the tympanic membrane (ear drum) and the neck of the malleus (a bone in the middle ear).

Etymology

The space is named after Alexander Prussak, a German anatomist who first described it in 1867.

Anatomy

Prussak's space is bounded by the following structures:

• Superiorly (above): The pars flaccida of the tympanic membrane
• Inferiorly (below): The lateral process of the malleus
• Medially (inside): The neck of the malleus
• Laterally (outside): The lateral malleal ligament

Clinical significance

Prussak's space is clinically significant because it is a common site for the development of cholesteatoma, a benign growth of skin cells in the middle ear that can lead to hearing loss. It is also a potential site for the spread of infection from the middle ear to the mastoid air cells, which can result in mastoiditis.

See also

• Middle ear
• Cholesteatoma
• Mastoiditis

References

Prussak's space Resources
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