Pharynx Flashcards
What are the three components of the pharynx?
Nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx
What is the pharynx?
a musculomembranous tube extending from the base of the skull (sphenoid, occipital bone; clivus) to the cricoid cartilage
What does the pharynx communicate with?
Nasal cavity, oral cavity, larynx, and esophagus
What is the anterior limit of the nasopharynx?
Choana
How far does the nasopharynx extend?
Base of skull to soft palate
What does the nasopharynx contain?
Pharyngotympanic tube -> eustachian tube
What is the nasopharynx structure (protrusion) called?
Torus tubarius
What is the lymphoid tissue within the nasopharynx?
Adenoid/pharyngeal tonsils
What are the folds of the nasopharynx?
Salpingopharyngeal & salpingopalatine folds
What does the salpingopharyngeal fold cover?
Salpingopharyngeus muscle
What does the salpingopalatine fold cover?
Levator veli palatini muscle
What is the function and innervation of the salpingopharyngeus muscle?
- Function: raises the pharynx during deglutition
- Innervation: CN X, pharyngeal branch
What is the function and innervation of the levator veli palatini muscle?
- Function: elevates the palate
- Innervation: CN X,
pharyngeal branch
What is the function and innervation of tensor veli palatini?
- Function: tenses palate and
aids in elevation - Innervation: CN V3
What does the elevation of the palate help?
Prevent entry of food into the nasopharynx!
What is adenoid hypertrophy?
Increase of adenoid tissue
Causes: sleep apnea, allergies
Can obstruct eustachian tube
What is nasopharyngeal carcinoma? Where is it found?
Cancerous mass found inside the pharyngeal recess aka Fossa of Rosenmuller
Unilateral serous effusion, nasal obstruction
Cervical lymphadenopathy
Smoker increases chances!
Tonsils… with age
Regress
What can tonsils contribute with kids?
Sleep apnea
What can tonsils in adults cause?
Malignancy
Tonsils are highly …
Vascular
What are all the blood supply of the tonsils?
- Tonsillar branch of facial artery
- Ascending palatine branch of
facial artery - Dorsal lingual branches of lingual
artery - Ascending pharyngeal artery
- Lesser palatine branch of
descending palatine artery
What is the innervation of tonsils?
Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
What is the main blood supply of tonsils?
Tonsillar + ascending palatine branches
What is the tonsillar fossa made of?
- Anterior pillar (palatoglossal fold) – palatoglossus muscle
- Posterior pillar (palatopharyngeal fold) – palatopharyngeus muscle
- Floor – superior constrictor
What is inside the oropharynx?
Tonsils, base of tongue, valleculae, epiglottis, and glossopepiglottic folds
Where does the oropharynx extend from?
Soft palate to epiglottis/hyoid
What is the anterior limit of oropharynx?
Circumvallate papillae
and hard palate
What can happen at base of tongue/lingual tonsil?
Lymphoid hypertrophy
What is a minor contribution of the epiglottis?
Prevent asipiration
What can be found in the valleculae?
Foreign bodies
Hypo/Laryngopharynx extends from…
Soft glottic tissue to cricoid cartilage
What is contained within the hypopharynx?
Piriform sinuses, opening of esophagus
What are the three constrictors?
Superior, middle, inferior
What is the main function of constrictors?
Maintain pharyngeal squeeze
What are the accessory muscles?
Salpingopharynx, stylopharyngeus, and palatopharyngeus
What are the muscles mostly innervated by?
CN X
What muscle is the exception of innervation? What is it innervated by?
Stylopharyngeus, CN IX
What is the clinical significance of superior constrictor?
Damage? -> velopharyngeal insufficiency
What is the gap between superior & middle constrictor?
Stylopharyngeus, stylohyoid, CN IX
What is the gap between of middle and inferior constrictor?
Internal laryngeal nerve, superior laryngeal
artery and vein
What are the two parts of the inferior constrictor?
- Thyropharyngeus – Pharyngeal branch
- Cricopharyngeus - External branch of
superior laryngeal nerve
What is the gap between the inferior constrictor and the floor?
Recurrent laryngeal nerve, inferior laryngeal
artery and vein (inferior thyroid)
What is Zenker’s Diverticulum?
- Outpouching of pharynx
through the Killian’s
Dehiscence between the
thyropharyngeus and cricopharyngeus muscles - Almost always has a cricopharyngeal bar
What is a cricopharyngeal bar?
- Major component of upper esophageal
sphincter - Thickening of muscle
What is Waldeyer’s Ring?
Ring of lymphatic tissue in each division of the pharynx
What is the arterial support of pharynx?
External carotid artery
What is the venous support of pharynx?
Pharyngeal venous plexus, pharyngeal vein, superior thyroid vein
What is the sensory & motor innervation of pharynx?
Sensory: CN IX until valleculae, then CN X
What is the gag reflex innervation?
- Afferent: CN IX
- Efferent: CN X
What is the lymph drainage of nasopharynx?
Retropharyngeal nodes,
Level II
What is the lymph drainage of oropharynx?
Level II
What is the lymph drainage of hypopharynx?
Level II & III
