Pharynx

Question 1

What level of the spinal cord is opposite the pharynx?

Answer 1

C6

Question 2

What are it’s superior boundaries?

Answer 2

Base of the skull, including the posterior part of the body of the sphenoid and the basilar part of occipital bone in front of pharyngeal tubercle

Question 3

What are its inferior boundaries?

Answer 3

Continuous with the oesophagus at the level of 6th cervical vertebra or lower border of cricoid cartilage

Question 4

What are its posterior boundaries?

Answer 4

It glides freely on the Prevertebral fascia which separates it from the bodies of cervical vertebrae

Question 5

What are its anterior boundaries?

Answer 5

Anterior wall is incomplete and it communicates with the nasal cavity, oral cavity and the larynx

Question 6

What are its boundaries on either side?

Answer 6

It is attached to: medial pterygoid plate, pterygo-mandibular raphe, mandible, tongue, hyoid bone; and thyroid and cricoid cartilages
It communicates on each side with the middle ear through auditory tube

Question 7

How is the cavity of the pharynx divided?

Answer 7

Nasal part or nasopharynx or epi-pharynx
Oral part or oropharynx or meso-pharynx
Laryngeal part or laryngopharynx or hypo-pharynx

Question 8

What is the nasopharynx lined by?

Answer 8

ciliated columnar epithelium

Question 9

What is the nasopharynx’s mucous membrane supplied by?

Answer 9

pharyngeal branch from pterygopalatine ganglion (V nerve); rest of the pharynx is supplied by IX and X nerves

Question 10

What are the features of the nasopharynx?

Answer 10

Anteriorly it communicates with posterior nasal aperture
Inferiorly it communicates with the oropharynx at the pharyngeal isthmus (nasopharyngeal isthmus)
Pharyngeal isthmus is bounded in front by the lower border of soft palate and behind by the posterior wall of pharynx

Question 11

How does the lateral wall of the nasopharynx present?

Answer 11

Pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube, which lies half inch behind the inferior nasal concha

Question 12

Whta is the roof and posterior wall of the nasopharynx formed by?

Answer 12

posterior part of body of sphenoid, basiocciput and anterior arch of atlas

Question 13

How does the oropharynx communicate?

Answer 13

Above it communicates with the nasopharynx through pharyngeal isthmus
In front communicates with oral cavity through oropharyngeal isthmus

Question 14

What is the oropharynx supported by?

Answer 14

supported by body of axis and C3 vertebra

Question 15

What is the wall of the oropharynx formed by?

Answer 15

all 3 constrictors

Question 16

Where is the palatine tonsil located?

Answer 16

situated in the tonsillar fossa of the lateral wall of oropharynx

Question 17

How is the palatine tonsil bounded?

Answer 17

Lies in tonsillar fossa. This fossa is bounded in front by the palatoglossal fold and behind by the palatopharyngeal fold
The 2 folds meet at the apex formed by the soft palate

Question 18

How is the base of the tonsillar fossa formed?

Answer 18

The base of the fossa is formed by the dorsal surface of the posterior one third of the tongue

Question 19

How is the laryngopharynx extend?

Answer 19

from the upper border of epiglottis to the lower border of cricoid cartilage

Question 20

Where does the anterior wall of the laryngopharynx present?

Answer 20

The anterior wall presents inlet of larynx and posterior surface of cricoid and arytenoid cartilages

Question 21

How is the posterior wall of the laryngopharynx supported?

Answer 21

Posterior wall is supported by body of C4,5 and lower part of C3 vertebrae

Question 22

How does the lateral wall of the laryngopharynx present?

Answer 22

Lateral wall presents the piriform fossa; one on each side of the inlet of larynx

Question 23

How is the piriform fossa bounded?

Answer 23

The fossa is bounded medially by the aryepiglottic fold and laterally by the thyroid cartilage and thyrohyoid membrane

Question 24

What is deep to the mucosa of the piriform fossa?

Answer 24

internal laryngeal nerve