Pharyngeal Structures

Question 1

Pharyngeal structures involved in swallow

Answer 1

• 3 pharyngeal constrictors:

1. superior
2. medial
3. inferior

*FORM the posterior and lateral pharyngeal walls

Question 2

describe the fibers that make up the 3 pharyngeal constrictor muscles

Answer 2

• Fibers which make up these muscles arise from the median raphe in the midline of the posterior pharyngeal wall
• run laterally to attach to bony and soft tissue structures located anteriorly

Question 3

the muscle fibers attach anteriorly to which structures?

Answer 3

• pterygoid plates on the
• sphenoid bone
• soft palate
• base of the tongue
• mandible
• hyoid bone
• thyroid and cricoid cartilages

*FORM the anterior wall of the pharynx

Question 4

Hard tissues

Answer 4

• cervical vertebrae (c1-c7)
• hyoid bone
• laryngeal cartilages (cricoid, thyroid, arytenoids, epiglottis)

Question 5

Soft tissues

Answer 5

• post of pharyngeal wall
• base of tongue
• false vocal folds
• true vocal folds
• muscles

Question 6

suprahyoid

Answer 6

elevates the hyoid bone, floor of the mouth and the tongue

Question 7

mylohyoid

Answer 7

elevates tongue and floor of mouth/ depresses jaw when hyoid fixed

Question 8

digastric (anterior belly)

Answer 8

raises hyoid when jaw is fixed/depresses jaw if hyoid fixed

Question 9

geniohyoid

Answer 9

draws hyoid forward, depresses mandible if hyoid fixed

Question 10

stylohyoid

Answer 10

elevates hyoid and tongue base

Question 11

hyoglossus

Answer 11

depresses tongue

Question 12

styloglossus

Answer 12

elevates and retracts tongue

Question 13

palatoglossus

Answer 13

narrows faces and elevates posterior tongue

Question 14

palatopharyngeus

Answer 14

narrows oropharynx, elevates pharynx

Question 15

stylopharngeus

Answer 15

raises and dilates (opens) pharynx

Question 16

salpingopharyngeus

Answer 16

raises nasopharynx, draws lateral pharyngeal wall up

Question 17

***cricopharyngeus

Answer 17

relaxes to allow passage of bolus into esophagus

Question 18

cricothyroid

Answer 18

tightens VFs

Question 19

posterior cricoarytenoid

Answer 19

abducts VFs (separates)

Question 20

lateral cricoarytenoid

Answer 20

adducts VFs (brings together)

Question 21

transverse arytenoid

Answer 21

adducts VFs (bring together)

Question 22

oblique arytenoid

Answer 22

adducts VFs and aryepigottic fold

Question 23

thyroarytenoid and vocalis

Answer 23

relaxes VFs

Question 24

glossopharyngeus muscle

Answer 24

• made up of the inferior fibers of the superior constrictor that attach to the tongue base
• responsible for tongue base retraction
• anterior bulging of the posterior pharyngeal wall at the tongue base level

Question 25

Pyriform sinuses

Answer 25

• formed from the fibers of the inferior constrictor attaching to both sides of the thyroid cartilage anteriorly
• ends inferiorly at the criocopharyngeal muscle (most inferior structure of the pharynx)

Question 26

cricopharyngeal muscle fibers

Answer 26

• fibers attach to the posterolateral surface of the cricoid lumina
• in conjunction with the cricoid lumina and the cricopharyngeal mms, fibers form the valve into the esophagus known as the

(CP region)

or

(UES)

or

(PE segment)

Question 27

cricopharyngeal muscle at rest vs awake

Answer 27

• decreased mms tension when asleep
• when awake, you have tone, mms has contractibility to allow food into esophagus, burp, vomit
• when asleep, you have low tone, mms is weaker, reflux can seep through

Question 28

UES diameter

Answer 28

2-4 cm

Question 29

when is there the greatest pressure?

Answer 29

immediately prior to swallow and during respiration

• prevents air from going into the esophagus during respiration
• USE opens to allow bolus to pass into esophagus

Question 30

epiglottis

Answer 30

• top most structure of larynx
• Top third to half rests against the base of the tongue
• Attached into the hyoid bone by the hyoepiglottic ligament
• Base of the epiglottis is attached by ligament to the thyroid notch
• The wedge shape (scallop shaped) space formed between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis is the valleculae

Question 31

laryngeal vestibule

Answer 31

opening to larynx
- Encompasses the epiglottis, aryepiglottic folds, arytenoid cartilage and ends at the superior surface of the false vocal folds

Question 32

location of lingual tonsils

Answer 32

are located against the base of the tongue and take up a small amount of the vallecular space

Question 33

The valleculae and pyriform sinuses are known as

Answer 33

the pharyngeal recesses or side pockets

Question 34

Aryepiglottic folds

Answer 34

• intrinsic structure

- form lateral walls of the laryngeal vestibule

Question 35

Arytenoid cartilages

Answer 35

• intrinsic structure
• positioned on the rim of the cricoid cartilage posteriorly.
• Muscular pulls on these arytenoid cartilages controls movement of the true vocal folds

Question 36

Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle

Answer 36

• intrinsic structure
• attaches from the posterior surface of the cricoid lumina to the muscular process of the arytenoid
• abducts or opens the arytenoids and true vocal folds during respiration

Question 37

lateral cricoarytenoid and interarytenoid muscles

Answer 37

• intrinsic structure
• attach from the top edge of the cricoid cartilage at the side to the muscular process of the arytenoid
• adduct or close the arytenoids and thus close the true vocal folds across the top of the airway