Browse the corpus

Otitis media is a very common condition in the pediatric population. This diagnosis can include effusion, depending on the patient. Otitis media is a primary problem of the Eustachian tube. Control of the Eustachian tube’s dilation is by the tensor veli palatini (TVP) and the levator veli palatini (LVP).[1]  Both of these muscles reside in the head, specifically near the palatal region, and they both technically originate from the Eustachian tube itself. In particular, the TVP has been targeted more as being the muscle with the most influence on the Eustachian tube’s ventilation and function. Many studies do not agree on the importance of the LVP, and some even argue that it is not relevant to the Eustachian tube’s function other than the LVP's anatomical derivation. Some reports note the TVP’s significance in connecting the soft and hard palates via the palatal aponeurosis, but this functionality is not why the TVP is classically notable. Because of this structuring of the TVP, when the muscle constricts, it acts to aid in swallowing.[2] See Image. Fauces Anatomy.