Nasal Anatomy and Physiology

Question 1

What are the functions of the nasal cavity?

Answer 1

Airway in respiration 
Warming of inspired air 
Humidification 
Filtration of large particles
Olfaction 
Drainage of the eustachain tube 
Drainage of paranasal sinuses and nasolacrimal duct 
Voice modification

Question 2

Which bone lies anteriorly of the nose?

Answer 2

Nasal bone

Question 3

What is deformity of the nose majority of the time down to?

Answer 3

Trauma

Question 4

What is the roof of the nasal cavity composed of?

Answer 4

Cribiform plate

Question 5

What is the floor of the nasal cavity composed of?

Answer 5

Hard palate

Question 6

What is most of the nasal septum composed of?

Answer 6

Cartilage

Question 7

What are the nasal concha?

Answer 7

Bony like projections from the lateral walls of the nose

Question 8

What are the 3 concha?

Answer 8

Superior
Middle
Inferior

Question 9

What is the project into the nasal cavity between the concha called?

Answer 9

Meatuses

Question 10

Where does the inferior meatus lie?

Answer 10

Between the inferior concha and the floor of the nasal cavity

Question 11

Where does the middle meatus lie?

Answer 11

Lies between the inferior and middle concha

Question 12

Where does the superior meatus lie?

Answer 12

Lies between the middle and superior concha

Question 13

Where does the spheno- ethmoidal recess?

Answer 13

Lies superiorly and posteriorly to the superior concha

Question 14

What are the facial sinuses?

Answer 14

Frontal x2
Maxillary x2
Ethmoidal 
Anterior and posterior 
Sphenoid

Question 15

What are sinuses?

Answer 15

Air cavities in the facial bones

Question 16

What are the functions of the facial sinuses

Answer 16

Help with vocal resonance
Decrease weight of the skull and facial bones
Act as buffer for trauma

Question 17

Where does the frontal sinus drain into?

Answer 17

Middle meatus

Question 18

Where does the ethmoid sinus drain into?

Answer 18

Anterior - middle meatus

Posterior - superior meatus

Question 19

Where does the sphenoid sinus drain into?

Answer 19

Spheno-ethmoid recess

Question 20

Where does the maxillary sinus drain into?

Answer 20

Middle meatus

Question 21

Where is the nasopharynx found?

Answer 21

Found between the base of the skull and the soft palate of the roof of the mouth.

Question 22

Where does the nose recieve blood from?

Answer 22

ICA and ECA

Question 23

What is littles area?

Answer 23

Where the anterior and posterior blood supply to the nose meet

Question 24

What is the clinical relevance of littles area?

Answer 24

Epistaxis - common for nose bleeds

Question 25

what are the common causes of epistaxis?

Answer 25

Trauma aka nose picking
Anticoagulants
Iatrogenic – surgery
Idiopathic
Hypertension (this would be a systemic cause)

Question 26

What is a systemic cause of epistaxis?

Answer 26

Hypertension