A4 - ENT Flashcards
Where does the pharynx start from/ end?
From base of skull to inferior border of C6
Where does the nasopharynx start/ end?
From base of skull to soft palate
What is the nasopharynx lined with?
Ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium with goblet cells
Which tonsils are within the nasopharynx?
Adenoid (pharyngeal) tonsils
Tubal tonsils - lateral wall (around Eustachian tube opening)
Where does the oropharynx start/ end?
Between the soft palate and superior border of the epiglottis
What does the oropharynx contain?
-Posterior 1/3 of tongue
-Lingual tonsils (base of tongue)
-Palatine tonsils (between palatoglossal and palatopharyngeal arches of oral cavity)
-Superior constrictor muscle
What is the Weldeyer’s ring?
Ring of lymphoid tissue in the nasopharynx and oropharynx, formed by the palatine tonsils, the adenoid (pharyngeal) tonsil, tubal tonsils and the lingual tonsil
What marks the boundary between the oral cavity and oropharynx?
Palatoglossal folds (arches)
What is the name of the arched opening that opens and closes when you eat food?
Oropharyngeal isthmus - closed when food is in your mouth by depression of soft palate and elevation of the tongue
Where does the laryngopharynx start/ end?
Superior border of epiglottis to inferior border of cricoid cartilage (C6)
Where does palatoglossal muscle extend from/to?
Palatine aponeurosis of the hard palate to the tongue
Where does palatopharyngeus muscle extend from/to?
Palatine aponeurosis of the hard palate to the thyroid cartilage (pharynx)
Which tonsils are typically inflammed with tonsilitis?
Palatine
What is the arterial supply to the pharynx?
Branches of the external carotid artery:
- Ascending pharyngeal artery
- Branches of facial artery
- Branches of lingual and maxillary artery
What is the venous drainage of the pharynx?
Pharyngeal venous plexus - drains into internal jugular vein
What supplies sensory and motor innervation to the pharynx?
Sensory= glossopharyngeal nerve
Motor = vagus, apart from the stylopharyngeus (motor innervation also by glossopharyngeal)
Describe the location of the pharyngeal (adenoid) tonsil
Midline on roof of nasopharynx
Describe the location of the tubal tonsils
Around opening of the pharyngotympanic (Eustachian) tube in the lateral wall of the nasopharynx
Describe the location of the palatine tonsils
Tonsillar bed of lateral oropharynx wall, between palatoglossal arch and palatopharyngeal arch
Describe the location of the lingual tonsil
Numerous lymphoid nodules on posterior 1/3 of tongue (responsible for the irregular appearance)
What type of tissue are tonsils and what do they contain?
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) - contain B cells, T cells and macrophages
Describe the location of the larynx
Suspends from the hyoid bone and spans from C3 to C6
Sits almost posteriorly to the laryngopharynx, and anterior to the oesophagus
What is the larynx composed of?
3 unpaired cartilages: cricoid, thyroid, epiglottis
3 pairs of smaller cartilages: arytenoid, corniculate and cuneiform
Fibroelastic membrane
Intrinsic muscles
What are the 3 sections of the larynx and their boundaries?
Supraglottis: inferior surface of epiglottis to vestibular folds (false vocal cords)
Glottis: contains the vocal cords and 1cm below them
Subglottis: from inferior border of the glottis to inferior border of cricoid cartilage
What arteries supply the larynx?
Superior laryngeal artery - from superior thyroid (derived ECA)
Inferior laryngeal artery - from inferior thyroid (from thyrocervical trunk)
What is the motor innervation to the larynx?
ALL BRANCHES FROM VAGUS
Recurrent laryngeal nerve: inferior branch supplies all intrinsic muscles of the larynx, except the cricothyroid
Superior laryngeal nerve: external branch supplies the cricothyroid
What is the sensory innervation to the larynx?
ALL BRANCHES FROM VAGUS
Recurrent laryngeal nerve: sensory innervation to infraglottis
Superior laryngeal nerve: internal branch provides sensory innervation to supraglottis
Which muscle helps equalise pressure in the middle ear?
Salpingopharyngeus (originates from Eustachian tube)
What do the 2 facets on the cricoid cartilage articulate with?
Superior facet - with arytenoid cartilage
Lateral facet - with inferior horn of thyroid cartilage
What is the cricoid cartilage shaped as?
A signet ring - has a ridge down middle and depressions either side
Why do males have an ‘adams apple’ but females do not?
The laryngeal prominence on the thyroid cartilage is more acute in males (90 degrees) than in females (120 degrees)
Describe the structure of the thyroid cartilage
2 lamina joined anteriorly - the site of fusion is the laryngeal prominence. The posterior margin of each lamina have a superior and inferior horn
Where is the thyroid’s facet located that articulates with the cricoid cartilage?
Medial surface of the inferior horns
Describe the structure of the arytenoid cartilages
They are pyramid shaped, and the anterior angle of the base has an elongated vocal process (where vocal ligament attaches)
What does the facet on the arytenoid cartilage articulate with?
Corniculate cartilage
Where are the cuneiform cartilages found?
Suspended in fibroelastic membrane, located anterior to the corniculate cartilages
Name the 2 thickenings of thyrohyoid membrane and where they are located
Lateral thyrohyoid ligament (2x) - posterolaterally
Medial thyroid ligament - anteromedially
What does the hypo-epiglottic ligament attach?
The hyoid bone to the anterior aspect of the epiglottis
What joins the cricoid cartilage and the trachea?
Cricotracheal ligament
What ligament can be perforated to establish an airway in an emergency where the airway is blocked above the vocal cords?
Median cricothyroid ligament - anteromedial thickening of the cricothyroid ligament joining the cricoid and thyroid cartilages
What are the extrinsic membranes/ ligaments of the larynx?
Thyroyhoid membrane - inc. medial and lateral thyrohyoid ligaments
Hypo-epiglottic ligament
Cricotracheal ligament
Median cricothyroid ligament