Anatomy Of The Pharynx Flashcards
What vertebral level is the hard palate at?
C1
What vertebral level is the angle of the mandible at?
C2
What vertebral level is the hyoid bone at?
C3
What vertebral level is the thyroid cartilage at?
C4/C5
What vertebral level is the cricoid cartilage at?
C6
What is the pharynx?
A thin, muscular, C-shaped tube located behind the nasal and oral cavities. Part of the aero-digestive tract.
What is the midline raphe?
Condensation of connective tissue in the midline centre of the pharynx that allows the muscles to attach so they can have traction and therefore contract against the midline raphe.
Where does pharynx span?
Base of skull to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage.
Boundaries of the Nasopharynx
Superior: skull base
Anterior: choanae (posterior nares of posterior nasal aperture)
Inferior: superior border of uvula
Posterior: nasopharyngeal tonsil
What is the nasopharyngeal tonsil when it is enlarged?
An adenoid, a secondary lymphoid organ.
Where does the Eustachian tube communicate?
Nasopharynx to middle ear
What is the lining of the Nasopharynx?
Ciliated stratified squamous epithelium - in communication with the mucosa that lines the nasal cavity. Cilia due to a lot of mucous produced in the nasal cavity to trap bacteria.
Boundaries of the oropharynx
Superior: uvula (soft palate)
Inferior: superior edge of epiglottis
Anterior: oral cavity
Posterior: C2/C3 vertebrae
What is the oropharynx lined with?
Stratified squamous epithelium
Contents of the oropharynx (anterior to posterior)
Anterior tonsillar pillar, palatoglossal arch
Palatine tonsil, tonsilar fossa
Posterior tonsillar pillar, palatopharyngeus arch, palatopharyngeus
What is the submucosa of the pharynx?
Pharyngobasilar fascia - strong fibrous sheet covering the muscular layer of the pharynx
What are openings to the pharynx?
Choanae, oropharyngeal isthmus, laryngeal inlet
How do the muscles of the pharynx arrange themselves?
Cone shaped series of muscles (3)
Superior inserts into the middle one, middle inserts into inferior one, forming the muscular coat of the pharyngeal wall. They have some mucous membranes which cover the pharyngeal wall and are continuous with all the layers of the pharynx. Also have the Pharyngobasilar fascia.
What are the layers of fascia and muscle in the pharynx?
Submucosa is enveloped by the skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles are enveloped by another level of fascia, the buccopharyngeal fascia.
(Buccopharyngeal is most external, muscles, pharyngobasiliar)
Where does the pharyngobasiliar fascia attach? What is the advantage of this?
To the base of the skull while the muscles do not.
Allows muscles to pull the tongue and larynx up, allowing for movement which may not happen if muscles attached to the skull base,.
How is the pharynx separated posteriorly from the vertebral column and prevertebral muscles and fascia?
By loose areolar tissue of the retropharyngeal space.
What does the loose areolar tissue permit?
Elevation and depression of the pharynx during swallowing
Which muscle attaches to the base of the skull?
Attachment to the base by the centre of the superior muscle (only one that has direct attachment to the pharyngeal tubercle.
What are the muscles of the pharyngeal complex?
Superior, middle and inferior pharyngeal constrictors
Stylopharyngeus
Salpingopharyngeus
Palatopharyngeus
