Lecture 51 Structures of the Nose

Question 1

What is meant by the anatomical term “nasal complex”?

Answer 1

comprised of the nose and paranasal sinuses

Question 2

Mammals have _____ facing choanae.

Answer 2

posteriorly

Question 3

What are the two functions of the nasal complex?

Answer 3

olfaction (superior portion) and respiration (inferior portion)

Question 4

What is the most clinically relevant function of the paranasal sinuses?

Answer 4

sole producers of Nitric Oxide gas (NO) in the upper respiratory tract- which is a pluripotent gaseous messenger with potent vasodilating and antimicrobial activity

Question 5

Name the bones/structures that comprise the nasal septum.

Answer 5

nasal spine of the frontal bone, perpendicular plate of ethmoid bone (featuring the crista galli), sphenoidal sinus (featuring the pituitatry fossa), the incisor crest, the nasal crest of the maxillary and palatine bones, the vomer, septal cartilage, and the nasal bone

Question 6

What is the term used to describe the nasal foramen in a skull?

Answer 6

piriform aperture

Question 7

Name the four paranasal sinuses.

Answer 7

frontal, maxillary, ethmoid, and sphenoid

Question 8

What two types of mucosal epithelium line the nasal cavity region?

Answer 8

olfactory and respiratory

Question 9

What is the mucociliary transport system?

Answer 9

serves as a self-cleaning mechanism that propels fluids secreted by the respiratory epithelial glands back to the throat region where we swallow the fluid

Question 10

What structure is comprised of loose connective tissue and houses seromucinous glands?

Answer 10

lamina propria

Question 11

What gland produces specialized mucosa for the lamina propria, containing mucins that trap odors?

Answer 11

Bowman’s glands

Question 12

Olfactory receptor cells are what type of neurons?

Answer 12

bipolar neurons

Question 13

The “olfactory nerves” carry sensory information to the olfactory _____ and ____ through the ____. The olfactory epithelium covers the ______ of the conchae and the _____ of the nasal septum.

Answer 13

bulb
tract
cribriform plate
upper half
upper third

Question 14

The nasal cavity is supplied by branches of which arteries?

Answer 14

external and internal carotid arteries

Question 15

What main branch of the external carotid artery from the terminating branch of the maxillary artery supplies the nasal cavity?

Answer 15

sphenopalatine artery

Question 16

Describe the pathway that the maxillary artery takes through the nasal cavity.

Answer 16

it branches from the external carotid artery, enters the infratemporal fossa and passes through the pterygomaxillary fissure then into the pterygopalatine fossa, courses medially and passes through the sphenopalatine foramen where it enters into the nasal cavity proper

Question 17

Which artery gives off a number of branches that cover the posterior nasal cavity wall and the septum?

Answer 17

sphenopalatine artery

Question 18

The ____ of the ____ courses through the palatine bone where it emerges in the oral cavity via the _____. It supplies the roof of the oral cavity where it then ascends through the incisive canal and contributes to the ____ of the nasal cavity.

Answer 18

descending branch of the palatine artery
greater palatine foramen
anteroinferior region of the nasal cavity

Question 19

What arteries branch from the opthalmic artery (a branch of the internal carotid artery) and supply the anterosuperior lateral nasal cavity wall and septum?

Answer 19

ethmoidal arteries

Question 20

Veins drain the nasal cavity in parallel with the same names used from the arterial pattern except that their drainage courses posterior to what structure?

Answer 20

pterygoid plexus of veins

Question 21

What area comprises significant anastomoses within the vasculature of the nasal cavity and predisposes some to nosebleeds?

Answer 21

Little’s area (Keisselbach’s plexus)

Question 22

What three arteries branch off the maxillary branch of the external carotid artery?

Answer 22

postero-lateral superior, middle, and inferior branches of the sohenopalatine artery

Question 23

The principle innervation of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses include which divisions of the trigeminal nerve for general somatic sensation?

Answer 23

Opthalmic (CN V1) and Maxillary (CN V2)

Question 24

Parasympathetic innervation of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is primarily from what nerve, which synapses in what ganglion?

Answer 24

greater petrosal nerve (branch of CN VII)

pterygopalatine ganglion

Question 25

Moving superficial to deep when entering the nasal structure, what three orifices does one pass through?

Answer 25

pterygomaxillary fissure, pterygopalatine fossa, sphenopalatine foramen

Question 26

The nose and paranasal sinuses originate from the mesenchymal cells that amass as what structure?

Answer 26

the nasal capsule

Question 27

Which of the paranasal sinuses is the first to develop at birth?

Answer 27

maxillary sinuses

Question 28

Which paranasal sinus develops postnatally and is highly unsymmetrical in its adult form?

Answer 28

frontal sinuses

Question 29

The sphenoid sinus develops after birth where it can manifest into what three anatomical forms?

Answer 29

conchal, pre-sellar, post-sellar

Question 30

The ethmoid sinuses can be organized into what two groups?

Answer 30

anterior and posterior ethmoid air sinuses

Question 31

Which of the ethmoid air sinuses are more numerous but less in size?

Answer 31

anterior ethmoid sinuses

Question 32

The drainage of the frontal, maxillary, and anterior ethmoid sinuses will drain into the _____ via the _____.

Answer 32

middle meatus

ethmoid infundibulum

Question 33

The drainage of the sphenoid and posterior ethmoid sinuses is into what?

Answer 33

superior meatus

Question 34

Lacrimal tears drain into the ______ via the _____.

Answer 34

inferior meatus

nasolacrimal duct