Nasal anatomy and physiology

Question 1

primary function of the nose

Answer 1

airway in respiration

Question 2

Group who are obligate nasal breathers

Answer 2

neonates

Question 3

Sinonasal mucosa epithelium type

Answer 3

respiratory ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells

Question 4

List as many other functions of the nose as you can

Answer 4

olfaction
warming of inspired air and humidification
filtration of large particles by vibrisae/coarse hairs in nasal vestibule
mucus production, trapping and cilia clearance
immune protection
drainage/aeration of middle ear by Eustachian tube
voice modification
drainage of paranasal sinuses and nasolacrimal duct
pheromone detection via vomero-nasal organ of Jacobson

Question 5

Nasolacrimal duct common name

Answer 5

tear duct

Question 6

What does the Eustachian tube link?

Answer 6

middle ear and nasopharynx

Question 7

Pheromone

Answer 7

Chemical an animal produces which another animal can detect and hence alter their behaviour

Question 8

3 functions of sinuses

Answer 8

Reduce skull weight and facial bones
help with vocal resonance
act as a buffer for trauma

Question 9

What are paranasal sinuses?

Answer 9

air cavities in the facial bones

Question 10

List the parts of the external nose

Answer 10

glabella, nasion, dorsum, supratip, tip, columnella

Question 11

Clinical conditions of external nose

Answer 11

deformity
congenital
acquired eg trauma

Question 12

Bony and cartilage fractions of the nose and what bones are involved

Answer 12

1/3 bone - frontal and maxillary

2/3 cartilage

Question 13

Midline partition of inner nose

Answer 13

nasal septum

Question 14

Lateral wall structures inside nose

Answer 14

turbinates

Question 15

roof of internal nose

Answer 15

cribriform plate of ethmoid bone

Question 16

floor of internal nose

Answer 16

hard palate

Question 17

Associated structures of the internal nose

Answer 17

paranasal sinuses and nasopharynx

Question 18

3 turbinates

Answer 18

superior, middle, inferior

Question 19

Meatus association with turbinates

Answer 19

found inferior to associated turbinate

Question 20

What turbinate can cause the most problems? Examples

Answer 20

inferior - inflammation or infection by allergic rhinitis

topical steroids and reduction surgery

Question 21

Name the paranasal sinuses

Answer 21

frontal, maxillary, ethmoid - posterior and anterior, sphenoid

Question 22

What meatus drains most of the paranasal sinuses?

Answer 22

middle

Question 23

List meatus and what paranasal sinuses are drained

Answer 23

superior - posterior ethmoid and sphenoid
middle - frontal, maxillary, anterior ethmoid
inferior - nasolacrimal duct

Question 24

Important relations of each paranasal sinus

Answer 24

frontal + ethmoid = anterior cranial fossa
maxillary - orbits
sphenoids - ICA, optic nerve, cavernous sinus

Question 25

Rhinosinusitis

Answer 25

Inflammatory and infective process effecting the nasal passage and para nasal sinuses

Question 26

types of rhinosinusitis

Answer 26

Acute (bacterial) <12 weeks
Chronic - allergic or non allergic
non allergic is with or without polyps

Question 27

Importance of paranasal sinuses

Answer 27

infection spread eg meningitis, intracranial abscess, orbital sepsis
surgery risk eg CSF leak, orbital complications leading to blindness

Question 28

Anterior nasal supply

Answer 28

branches of ICA

ophthalmic –> anterior/posterior ethmoid arteries

Question 29

Posterior nasal supply

Answer 29

branches of ECA

sphenopalatine

Question 30

What is little’s area and why is it important?

Answer 30

When ECA and ICA branches meet - sphenopalatine, anterior and posterior ethmoid arteries, greater palatine and superior labial artery
epistaxis

Question 31

Epistaxis

Answer 31

Nose bleeds

Question 32

Nose bleeds causes

Answer 32

Trauma - nose picking 
Anticoagulants 
iatrogenic - surgery 
idiopathic 
hypertension

Question 33

Important nerves

Answer 33

trigeminal
olfactory - smell
facial nerve - innervate pterygoid canal

Question 34

Anosmia

Answer 34

loss of sense of smell