Pharynx and Nasal Cavity

Question 1

What are the divisions of the Pharynx

Answer 1

Nasopharynx, Oropharynx, Laryngopharynx

Question 2

Boundaries of the Nasopharynx?

Answer 2

base of skull to soft palate

Question 3

Boundaries of the Oropharynx?

Answer 3

Soft palate to epiglottis

Question 4

Boundaries of the Laryngopharynx?

Answer 4

epiglotiss to esophagus (cricoid cartilage)

Question 5

What are components of the nasopharynx?

Answer 5

Chonae/posterior nares, and the orifice of the auditory/eustacian/pharyngotympanic tube.

The choanae are openings between the nasal pharynx and the cavity. The auditory tube is an opening. At its root is the salpingopharynx.

Question 6

What are the components of the oropharynx?

Answer 6

The palatoglossal arch (anterior), the palatopharyngeal arch (posterior), and the palatine tonsil.

Question 7

What are the components of the laryngopharynx?

Answer 7

The laryngeal additus and the piriform recess.

The laryngeal additus is the opening to the larynx hole that the epiglottis covers when swallowing food. The piriform recesses are the opposite sides of where the internal superior laryngeal nerve pierces the larynx. This also supplies the sensory fibers to the mucosa of the larynx above the vocal folds. Damaging of this nerve results in absence of a gag reflex–the afferent sensory branch of vagus in the piriform recess triggers the gag reflex.

Question 8

What are the two subgroups of the muscles of the pharynx, and what are their components?

Answer 8

Circular outer motor muscles. These are the superior, middle, and inferior constrictors. They are used to push food down the esophagus.
Longitudinal inner motor muscles. These are the stylopharyngeus, the palatopharyngeus, and the salpingopharyngeus. They are used to elevate the pharynx.

Question 9

What is the origin and insertion of the superior constrictor muscle?

Answer 9

Origins: pterygomandibular raphe, medial pterygoid plate, hamulus, lateral root of tongue, mylohyoid line. (Please Mom Make Ham Later)
Insertion: median raphe

Question 10

What is the origin and insertion of the middle constrictor muscle?

Answer 10

Origin: greater horn of the hyoid bone, styloid ligament
Insertion: median raphe

Question 11

What is the origin and insertion of the inferior constrictor muscle?

Answer 11

Origin: thyroid/cricoid cartilages
Insertion: median raphe

Question 12

Name the gap regions of the skull.

Answer 12

Between the base of the skull and the superior constrictor, superior constrictor and middle constrictor, middle and inferior constrictor, and inferior constrictor and esophagus.

Question 13

What lies between the base of the skull and the superior constrictor muscle?

Answer 13

Auditory tube (enters pharynx to make connection to outer ear) and levator veli palatini

Question 14

What lies between the superior and middle constrictors?

Answer 14

Stylopharyngeus muscle, and CN IX (the glossopharyngeus nerve)

Question 15

What lies between the middle and inferior constrictors?

Answer 15

The internal laryngeal nerve and the superior laryngeal artery.

Question 16

What lies between the inferior constrictor muscles and the esophagus?

Answer 16

The recurrent laryngeal nerves and the inferior laryngeal artery.

Question 17

What is the origin and insertion of the palatopharyngeus (posterior arch)?

Answer 17

Origin: hard palate, palatine aponeurosis
Insert: wall of the pharynx

Question 18

What is the origin and the insertion of the stylopharyngeus?

Answer 18

Origin: Styloid process
Insertion: wall of the pharynx

Question 19

What is the origin and the insertion of the salpingopharyngeus?

Answer 19

Origin: The salpinx/cartilage end of the auditory tube
Insertion: wall of the pharynx

Question 20

What are the layers of the wall of the pharynx, going from external to internal?

Answer 20

1. Fibrous - buccopharyngeal fascia (right against the prevertebral fascia)
2. Muscular - outer circular and inner longitudinal skeletal muscles
3. Fibrous - pharyngobasilar fascia
4. Submucosa
5. Mucous membrane - nasopharynx (respiratory epithelium), oral and laryngopharynx (stratified squamous epithelium)-sharp doritos

Question 21

What innervates the muscles of the pharynx?

Answer 21

All motor muscles except the stylopharyngeus (CN IX) are innervated by CN X.

Question 22

Discuss the somatic sensation and innervation of the pharynx?

Answer 22

Afferents from the pharynx are via the pharyngeal plexus (which also carries efferents). Most sensory innervation is from CN IX, which contributions from V2 and X.

Question 23

What separates the nasal cavity from the oral cavity?

Answer 23

The hard and soft palates

Question 24

What are the three bumps in the lateral wall of the nasal cavity?

Answer 24

Superior, middle, and inferior nasal concha.

Question 25

Which bones do the conchas belong to?

Answer 25

Superior and middle belong to ethmoid. The Inferior nasal concha (tubernate) is its own separate bone.

Question 26

What occurs for drainage at the superior nasal meatus?

Answer 26

Sphenoidal sinus drains into the sphenoethmoidal recess above the superior nasal meatus.

Question 27

What drains into the middle nasal meatus?

Answer 27

FAMM: frontal sinus (semilunar hiatus via frontonasal duct), anterior ethmoidal cells (semilunar hiatus), middle ethmoidal cells (ethmoidal bulla), Maxillary sinus (ethmoid bulla, maxillary osteum)

Question 28

What drains into the inferior nasal meatus?

Answer 28

Nasolacrimal duct from orbit

Question 29

Discuss the anatomy of olfactory epithelium?

Answer 29

specialized nerve endings of the olfactory bulb sitting on the cribiform plate of ethmoid bone, sending specialized epithelium for smell. lines the lateral wall and septum.

Question 30

Describe the innervation of olfaction?

Answer 30

Olfactory nerve (CN I) is a bundle of nerves from the olfactory bulb.

Question 31

What are the three major artery branches of the nasal cavity?

Answer 31

The maxillary artery (from pterygopalatine fossa to nasal cavity, sphenopalatine artery and greater palatine), the facial artery (septal branch of superior labial artery) and ethmoidal artery (branch of opthalmic artery, anterior and posterior arteries coming down the cribiform plate to supply septum and the wall)

Question 32

What is Kiessalback's plexus?

Answer 32

Anastomosis on the nasal septum involving all arteries. Also important for thermoregulation.

Question 33

What innervates the antero-superior portion of the nasal cavity?

Answer 33

CN V1 - branches of nasociliary from the opthalmic nerve -> Nasal branches of the anterior ethmoidal nerve comes down the cribiform plate to innervate the anterior

Question 34

How do nerves and arteries distribute in the nasal cavity?

Answer 34

branches of V2 and artery branches pair up and distribute to the same name areas except: the sphenopalatine artery and nasopalatine nerve and the posterior/inferior lateral nasal branches.

Question 35

What innervates the posterio-inferior portion of the nasal cavity?

Answer 35

V2 - nasopalatine nerve of the maxillary nerve to septum and posterior superior/inferior lateral from great palatine to lateral wall.