Pharynx and Larynx Flashcards
What is in the upper respiratory tract?
- Nose
- Nasal cavity
- Paranasal sinuses
- Pharynx
What is in the lower respiratory tract?
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Bronchi
- Lungs
Is the pharynx part of the digestive system?
Yes
Larynx borders
- Pharynx
- Trachea
Larynx functions
- Conducts air
- Prevents food from entering trachea
- Produces sound
Phonation
Sound producing
What is the only complete ring of cartilage in the body?
Cricoid cartilage
What cartilage has the laryngeal prominence?
Thyroid cartilage
Epiglottis function
Valve to allow the passage of food into the esophagus
During swallowing, where is the epiglottis?
Closes the laryngeal opening
What attaches to and aids the movement of the vocal folds?
Arytenoid cartilage
What is the cricothyroid membrane an important landmark for?
Establishing an airway in a life saving emergency, called a cricothyrotomy
Rima glottidis
Space between the right and left vocal ligaments and folds
Muscles of the larynx function
Movement of the vocal ligaments and folds to alter the size and shape of the rims glottidis
What do intrinsic muscles of the larynx do?
Move the cartilages to abduct, adduct, tense, or relax the vocal folds/ligaments
Where do the vocal ligaments span?
From the arytenoid and thyroid cartilages
What is the only muscle that works to abduct the vocal cords to open the rims glottidis?
Posterior cricoarytenoid muscles
What adducts the vocal cords?
- Arytenoid muscle
- Lateral cricoartenoid muscle
Arytenoid muscle function
- Pulls arytenoid cartilages together medially
- Addduct vocal cords
Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle function
- Rotate arytenoid cartilages
- Adduct vocal cords
Cricothyroid muscle action
Tilts the thyroid cartilage forward to lengthen the vocal cords
Thyroarytenoid muscle action
Pulls arytenoid cartilages closer to the thyroid cartilage to shorten the vocal cords
What primary provides sensory and motor innervation to the larynx?
Vagus nerve
What provides motor innervation to the cricothyroid muscle?
External laryngeal nerve
The recurrent laryngeal nerve innervates…
Motor innervation to all intrinsic laryngeal muscles except the cricothyroid muscle
What provides sensory innervation above the vocal folds?
Internal laryngeal nerve
What provides sensory innervation below the vocal folds?
Recurrent laryngeal nerve
What does the right recurrent laryngeal nerve loop under?
Subclavian artery
What does the left recurrent laryngeal nerve loop under?
Arch of the aorta
Where do the right and left recurrent laryngeal nerves arise from?
Vagus nerve
Where does the recurrent laryngeal nerve course?
- Tracheosophageal groove
- Deep to thyroid
- Larynx
Laryngitis
Inflammation of the larynx
Where does the trachea start?
Inferior to the cricoid cartilage
The trachea is comprised of how many C shaped cartilages? What is their function?
- 15-20
- Make it rigid for airway
Where does the trachea extend into?
Mediastinum of the thoracic cavity
Trachea bifurcation
Parts into left and right primary bronchi at the carina
Where is the pharynx relative to the larynx?
Posterior
Superior constrictor muscle origin
Pharyngeal tubercle
What bone is the pharyngeal tubercle located on?
Occipital
What bone is the pterygoid hamalus on?
Medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid
What serves as a sling for the tensor veil palatini muscle?
Pterygoid hamalus
What goes through the pharynx?
- Food and fluid
- Air
What are the three parts of the pharynx?
- Nasopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Laryngopharynx
Pharynx location relative to the vertebral column?
Immediately anterior
Nasopharynx location
- Posterior to nasal cavity
- Superior to soft palate
Nasopharynx function
Conduct air between the nasal cavity and the oropharynx
Pharyngeal tonsils location
Roof of the nasopharynx
Pharyngeal tonsils are part of the…
Wanderer’s ring of lymphoid tissue
What is the tubal tonsil?
Collection of lymphatic tissue surrounding the opening to the auditory tube
The nasopharynx connects to what structure? Through what?
Middle ear through the auditory tube
Why does the nasopharynx connect to the middle ear?
Equalize pressure between the middle ear and the atmosphere
What does the torus tubarius surround?
Auditory tube
What does the salpingopharyngeal fold overlies?
Salpingopharyngeus muscle
Is the salpingopharyngeus muscle longitudinal or constrictor muscle?
Longitudinal
What does the soft palate do during swallowing?
Elevates and closes off the nasopharynx
What is the boundary between the nasopharynx and the oropharynx?
Soft palate
How does the soft palatal musculature act on the middle ear?
Opens the auditory tube when swelling to equalize pressure
What innervates the tensor veil palatini?
CN V3
What innervates the elevator veil palatini?
Vagus nerve
Tensor veil palatini origin
Scaphoid fossa
Tensor veil palatini insertion
Palatine aponeurosis, posterior aspect of the hard palate
Levator veil palatini origin
Cartilaginous auditory tube and inferior surface of the temporal bone
Tensor veil palatini and levator veil palatini function
Elevate the palate to prevent food from entering the nasopharynx
What does the tensor veil palatini wrap around?
Hamulus of the medial pterygoid plate
The soft palate receives motor innervation primarily from the…
Vagus nerve
Oropharynx location
Soft palate to the hyoid
What tonsils are in Waldeyer’s ring?
- Pharyngeal tonsils
- Tubal tonsils
- Palatine tonsils
- Lingual tonsils
Laryngopharynx location
Hyoid bone to the larynx
Piriform recess surrounds…
- Laryngeal orifice
- Food gets trapped here
Where do all 3 longitudinal muscles insert at?
Thyroid cartilage
Salpingopharyngeus muscle origin?
Auditory tube
Palatopharyngeus muscle origin
Palate
Stylopharyngus muscle origin
Styoid process
Longitudinal pharyngeal muscle function
Elevate the larynx during swallowing and open the auditory tube
Stylopharyngus muscle motor innervation
Glossopharyngeal nerve
Common insertion of all 3 pharyngeal constrictor muscles?
Pharyngeal raphe, which attaches to the pharyngeal tubercle on the base of the skull
Superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle origin?
Pterygomandibular raphe
Middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle origin?
Hyoid bone and stylohyoid ligament
Inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle origin?
Cricoid and thyroid cartilage
Primary motor innervation to the pharynx and soft palate?
Vagus
Primary sensory innervation to the pharynx?
- CN V3
- CN IX
- CN X
How does food move down the esophagus?
Peristaltic contractions
Upper esophageal sphincter function
Regulates passage of bolus from the pharynx to the esophagus
Lower esophageal sphincter function
Regulates the passage of bolus from the esophagus to the stomach
Which spinster plays a role in preventing the reflux of gastric contents?
Lower esophageal sphincter function
The esophagus passes through what to enter the abdominal cavity?
Diaphragm at T10
What phases of swallowing are involuntary?
Pharyngeal and esophageal
What phase of swallowing is voluntary?
Oral
