Nasal Anatomy

Question 1

define piriform aperture

Answer 1

opening of the maxilla surrounding nasal cavity

Question 2

flow of air as it enters nose

Answer 2

enters nares (nostrils), through nasal cavity, exts choanae into nasopharynx

Question 3

fns of nasal cavity

Answer 3

olfaction, humidification, filtration, reception of paranasal sinus secretions

Question 4

where to find olfactory epithelium

Answer 4

roof of nasal cavity

Question 5

medial wall of nasal cavity

Answer 5

the nasal septum containing: septal cartilage (anterior), ethmoid (superior), vomer (posteroinferior)

Question 6

lateral walls of nasal cavity

Answer 6

3 conchae/turbinates: superior, middle (both ethmoid), inferior (independent bone, largest)

Question 7

sphenopalatine foramen location/fn

Answer 7

much neurovasculature of nasal cavity thru here, located posterior to superior/middle turbinates and anterior to sphenoid sinus

sphenopalatine artery from maxillary artery

Question 8

maturation of paranasal sinuses

Answer 8

ethmoid sinuses are pneumatized at birth, frontal and maxillary continue to grow till age 20-25

Question 9

4 “passages” in the nasal cavity from superior to inferior, fn

Answer 9

spenoethmoidal recess, superior meatus, middle meatus, inferior meatus

receive drainage from paranasal sinuses

Question 10

drainage from sphenoid sinus

Answer 10

sphenoethmoidal recess

Question 11

drainage from posterior ethmoidal sinuses

Answer 11

superior meatus

Question 12

drainage of the frontal sinus

Answer 12

beneath middle meatus, via semilunar hiatus

Question 13

drainage of the maxillary sinus

Answer 13

beneath middle meatus thru large ostium

Question 14

drainage of the rest of the ethmoid sinus

Answer 14

beneath the middle meatus onto ethmoid bulla (lies over top of semilunar hiatus)

Question 15

drainage of nasolacrimal duct

Answer 15

inferior meatus

Question 16

overall role of trigeminal nerve

Answer 16

convey sensory (pain touch temp) to CNS from facial area

Question 17

trigeminal ganglion

Answer 17

large sensory ganglion on floor of cranial cavity

Question 18

opthalmic division, V1

Answer 18

somatic sensory info from eye, orbit, forehead, anterior nose

Question 19

maxillary V2 trigeminal

Answer 19

somatic sensory from nasal cavity, maxilla, upper dentition and palate

Question 20

mandibular V3 trigeminal

Answer 20

info from oral cavity, mandible/teeth, muscles of mastication

Question 21

sphenopalatine artery

Answer 21

terminal branch of the maxillary artery (from external carotid), transverses through the sphenopalatine foramen

Question 22

ophthalmic artery

Answer 22

branch of internal carotid, vascularizes eye/ orbit, leads to ethmoidal arteries in anterior/superior nasal cavity

Question 23

kiesselbach’s plexus

Answer 23

converging spot for arteries on the nasal septum, common site for epistaxis

Question 24

location of olfactory axons

Answer 24

along cribiform plate of ethmoid, synapse w/i olfactory bulbs

w/i olfactory mucosa in superio-lateral region

Question 25

division of sensory innervation to nasal cavity

Answer 25

anterior 1/3: V1, anterior ethmoidal nerves

posterior 2/3: V2, nasopalatine for septum and posterior lataeral nasal for lateral wall

Question 26

major relay center for PNS nerves traveling to nasal cavity

Answer 26

pterygopalatine ganglion, located in pterygopalatine fossa posterior to nasal cavity

Question 27

trace PNS nerves to nasal glands

Answer 27

preganglionic via greater petrosal nerve (branch of CN VII), thru pterygoid canal in base of skull, synapse at pterygopalatine ganglion and hitchhike w/ V2

Question 28

trace SNS nerves to nasal cavity

Answer 28

travel along internal carotid and form the deep petrosal nerve, enters pterygoid canal and travels alongside blood vessels

Question 29

vidian nerve

Answer 29

combo of deep petrosal (post gang SNS) and greater petrosal (pre gang PNS) in pterygoid canal, autonomics to nasal cavity

can be removed for chronic rhinitis

Question 30

4 components of nasopharynx

Answer 30

pharyngeal tonsils or adenoids, opening of eustachian or pharyngotympanic tubes, torus tubarius, pharyngeal recess (behind torus, can have cancers)

Question 31

muscles of pharyngotympanic tube

Answer 31

levator veli palatini, tensor veli palatini

open the tube and prevent food from entering nasopharynx by lifting soft palate