Anatomy of the upper respiratory tract Flashcards
Which sinuses make up the paranasal sinuses?
- Frontal
- Ethmoid
- Maxillary
- Sphenoid
Which cells line the paranasal sinuses?
respiratory epithelium - pseudostratified columnar with cilia
What are the functions of the paranasal sinuses?
- Reduce weight of facial skeleton
- Warm and humidify inspired air
- Adding resonance to the voice
- Drain mucus secretions into the nasal cavities
How can the paranasal sinuses be drained?
Sneezing, blowing the nose, gravity
What are the three parts of the pharynx?
- Nasopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Laryngopharynx
Which structure is found at the most posterior point of the tongue?
The epiglottis
What is the epiglottis made of?
Elastic cartilage making it rather springy
What are the defining points of the nasopharynx?
Begins when the nasal septum ends
Ends where the soft palate ends
What structure can be found in the side wall of the nasopharynx?
The opening of the auditory tube
What is the auditory tube made of?
Cartilage towards the mouth and bone towards the ear
What surrounds the auditory tube?
The tubal elevation, containing lymphoid tissue called the tubal tonsil
What structure is adjacent to the opening of the auditory tube?
The pharyngeal recess, or fossa of reosenmuller
What is the pharyngeal recess or fossa of rosenmuller?
A deep recess that almost reaches the internal carotid artery at the base of the skull
What lymphoid tissue is found at the back of the nasopharynx?
The pharyngeal tonsil or adenoids
What is the palatoglossal fold?
A fold in the mucosa where the palatoglossal muscle is found
Where is the palatoglossal fold found?
At the back of the oral cavity. Marks the point where the oropharynx begins
What additional fold is found near the palatoglossal fold?
The palatopharyngeal fold
What is the palatopharyngeal fold?
A fold at the edge of the soft palate where the palatopharyngeal muscle sits
What is the main action of the palatopharyngeal muscle?
Pulls on the soft palate to the area where the nasopharynx becomes the oropharynx to help stop drinks entering the nasal cavity when you swallow
Where is the palatine tonsil found?
Between the palatoglossal fold and the palatopharyngeal fold
Where is the lingual tonsil found?
Under the posterior 2/3 of the tongue
What signifies the end of the oropharynx and the start of the laryngopharynx?
The tip of the epiglottis
What is the vallecula fossa?
A pit between the posterior tongue and epiglottis
Fish bones can get caught here
What is the piriform fossa?
A shallow recess found at the laryngopharynx near the inlet to the larynx
Pear shaped
Common for fish bones to be caught in this area
What is the name given to the collective tonsils?
Waldeyer’s ring
What tonsils are found in waldeyer’s ring?
1 pharyngeal tonsil
2 tubal tonsils
2 palatine tonsils
1 lingual tonsils
What is the norma lateralis of the skull?
The lateral wall of the skull
What bones are found in the norma lateralis of the skull?
Frontal Parietal Occipital Temporal Sphenoid Zygomatic Mandible Maxilla Nasal
What bones make up the nasal cavity?
- Ethmoid
- Sphenoid
Describe the ethmoid bone
Unpaired bone that contains the ethmoid aire cells (sinuses)
Contributes to the roof and the lateral and medial walls of the nasal cavity
Descibe the sphenoid bone
Unpaired bone that contains the sphenoid sinus
Froms the posterior part of the cavity
What areas does air entering the nose pass through?
- Nares
- Vestibule
- Respiratory region
- Olfactory region
- Choanae
What is the nares
Anterior apertures or nostrils
What is the vestibule?
Dilated portion of the nose inside each aperture
Contains highly vasculised epithelium with hair
What is the respiratory region?
The nasal cavity proper
Lined with highly vascular respiratory epithelium and three conchae
What is the conchae?
The curled shelf of bone within the nasal cavity
What is the purpose of conchae?
To increase the surface area for filtering, warming and humidifying inspired air
What are turbinates?
Chonchae covered in respiratory epithelium
What is the olfactory region?
Small apical region of nasal cavity where the olfactory receptors reside
What is the choanae?
The posterior apertures where the nasal cavity communicates with the nasopharynx
What is the innervation of the frontal sinus?
sensory fibers from V.1 (supra-orbital)
What is the arterial supply of the frontal sinus?
Anterior ethmoidal arteries (from opthalmic)
Where does the frontal sinus drain to?
Into the semilunaris hiatus via the frontonasal duct
What is the innervation of the ethmoid sinus?
Sensory fibers from V.1 (nasociliary nerve’s ethmoidal branches) and V.2 (orbital branches)
What is the arterial supply to the ethmoid sinus?
Ethmoidal arteries (from opthalmic)
What is the drainage of the anterior portion of the ethmoid sinus?
Into the semilunaris hiatus (middle meatus)
What is the drainage of the middle portion of the ethmoid sinus?
Drains into the ethmoid bulla (middle meatus)
What is the drainage of the posterior portion of the ethmoid sinus?
Drains into the superior meatus
What is the innervation of the sphenoid sinus?
Sensory fibers from V.2 (orbital branches)
What is the arterial supply of the sphenoid sinus?
Pharyngeal arteries (from maxillary)
What is the drainage of the sphenoid sinus?
Drains into the spheno-ethmoidal recess above the superior concha
What is the innervation of the maxillary sinus?
Sensory fibers from V.2 (infra-orbital and alveolar branches)
What is the blood supply of the maxillary sinus?
The infra-orbital and alveolar arteries
What is the drainage of the maxillary sinus?
Drains into the semilunar hiatus (middle meatus)
What drains into the inferior meatus?
The nasolacrimal duct drains tears
What is the end point of the laryngopharynx?
The inferior aspect of the cricoid cartilage
Describe the cricoid cartilage
- Shaped like a signet ring
- Made of hyaline cartilage
- Only cartilage of the larynx that is a complete ring
Where does the epiglottis come from?
Behind the thyroid cartilge
What is the laryngeal prominence?
An important surface landmark, also known as the Adam’s apple
What is the vocal fold?
A fold inside the mucosa of the larynx containing some elastic fibers in its core
Where does the vocal fold run from?
The arytenoid cartilage inside the thyroid cartilage to the laryngeal prominence
Where is the arytenoid cartilage present?
On both sides of the larynx
What is the cricothyroid joint?
A synovial joint between the thyroid cartilage and the crcioid cartilage at the projection of its inferior horn
What muscle runs up the side of the thyroid cartilage bilaterally?
The cricothyroid muscles
What action does the cricothyroid muscle have?
Pulls the thyroid cartilage very slightly towards the cricoid cartilage, causing a slight rotation in the cricothyroid joint, which tenses the vocal folds and raises the pitch, making the voice higher
What is the cricothyroid ligament?
Ligament joining the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage
Describe the thyroid cartilage
2 hyaline laminae and laryngeal prominence
Describe the cricoid cartilage
Signet-shaped hyaline cartilage just inferior to the thyroid
Describe the epiglottis
spoon shaped elastic plate attached to the thyroid cartilage
Describe the arytenoid cartilage
Paired pyramidal cartilages that rotate on cricoid cartilage
Describe the corniculate cartilage
Paired cartilages that lie on the apex of arytenoid cartilages
Describe the cuneiform cartilage
Paired cartilages in ary-epiglottic folds that have no articulations