The human ear is divided into 3 portions: outer, inner and middle ear.
The inner wall separates the inner ear (labyrinth), and the middle ear has two small holes or openings called fenestrae. One opening is located above the other. The upper opening is called an oval window, and it is enclosed by the stapes footplate. The lower opening is called the round window, and it is covered by a thin tympanic membrane.
Round Window
There is a small round opening below and behind the promontory region, which is called a round window (fenestra cochleae). The cochlear promontory, often referred to as the promontory of the tympanic cavity, is a rounded hollow protrusion created by the cochlea’s initial turn projecting outward.
Round windows are sealed with a strong, thin membrane called a secondary tympanic membrane. The middle ear is separated from the scala tympani by the secondary tympanic membrane. The scala tympani runs parallel to the scala vestibuli and typically terminates at the round window.
The oval window is another membrane-covered hole that leads to the inner ear from the middle ear. The size of the oval and round windows are similar, measuring around 2.5 square millimetres (0.0039 sq in). Often, the round window niche’s entry is significantly smaller.
Round Window of Ear – Function
As the fluid in the cochlea is moved when the stapes are squeezed at the oval window, the membrane vibrates in the opposite phase to vibrations entering the cochlea through that window. Movement is transmitted to the oval window by the stapes bone of the middle ear. The round window membrane slides out as the stapes footplate advances into the oval window, allowing the movement of ear fluid within the cochlea, which results in the movement of the inner hair cells of the cochlea. This eventually results in hearing.
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