Pharyngeal Structures Flashcards
Pharyngeal structures involved in swallow
- 3 pharyngeal constrictors:
- superior
- medial
- inferior
*FORM the posterior and lateral pharyngeal walls
describe the fibers that make up the 3 pharyngeal constrictor muscles
- 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
the muscle fibers attach anteriorly to which structures?
- 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
Hard tissues
- cervical vertebrae (c1-c7)
- hyoid bone
- laryngeal cartilages (cricoid, thyroid, arytenoids, epiglottis)
Soft tissues
- post of pharyngeal wall
- base of tongue
- false vocal folds
- true vocal folds
- muscles
suprahyoid
elevates the hyoid bone, floor of the mouth and the tongue
mylohyoid
elevates tongue and floor of mouth/ depresses jaw when hyoid fixed
digastric (anterior belly)
raises hyoid when jaw is fixed/depresses jaw if hyoid fixed
geniohyoid
draws hyoid forward, depresses mandible if hyoid fixed
stylohyoid
elevates hyoid and tongue base
hyoglossus
depresses tongue
styloglossus
elevates and retracts tongue
palatoglossus
narrows faces and elevates posterior tongue
palatopharyngeus
narrows oropharynx, elevates pharynx
stylopharngeus
raises and dilates (opens) pharynx
salpingopharyngeus
raises nasopharynx, draws lateral pharyngeal wall up
***cricopharyngeus
relaxes to allow passage of bolus into esophagus
cricothyroid
tightens VFs
posterior cricoarytenoid
abducts VFs (separates)
lateral cricoarytenoid
adducts VFs (brings together)
transverse arytenoid
adducts VFs (bring together)
oblique arytenoid
adducts VFs and aryepigottic fold
thyroarytenoid and vocalis
relaxes VFs
glossopharyngeus muscle
- 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
Pyriform sinuses
- 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)
cricopharyngeal muscle fibers
- 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)
cricopharyngeal muscle at rest vs awake
- 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
UES diameter
2-4 cm
when is there the greatest pressure?
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
epiglottis
- 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
laryngeal vestibule
opening to larynx
- Encompasses the epiglottis, aryepiglottic folds, arytenoid cartilage and ends at the superior surface of the false vocal folds
location of lingual tonsils
are located against the base of the tongue and take up a small amount of the vallecular space
The valleculae and pyriform sinuses are known as
the pharyngeal recesses or side pockets
Aryepiglottic folds
- intrinsic structure
- form lateral walls of the laryngeal vestibule
Arytenoid cartilages
- intrinsic structure
- positioned on the rim of the cricoid cartilage posteriorly.
- Muscular pulls on these arytenoid cartilages controls movement of the true vocal folds
Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle
- 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
lateral cricoarytenoid and interarytenoid muscles
- 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
