Pterygopalatine Fossa and Nasal Cavity Flashcards
What makes up the bony part of the external nose?
Nasal bones, frontal process of maxilla, nasal part of frontal bone and nasal spine, and bony part of nasal septum
What makes up the cartilaginous part of the external nose?
2 lateral cartilages, 2 alar cartilages, and septal cartilage (nasal septum)
All of the nasal cavity is lined with nasal mucosa except for what? Why?
Vestibule of the nose, because this is considered an external portion
What is nasal mucosa connected to?
Periosteum of the bony parts of the nasal cavity and the perichondrium of the cartilaginous nasal components
The inferior 2/3s of the nasal cavity that is lined with nasal mucosa is called what?
Respiratory area
The superior 1/3 of the nasal cavity that is lined with nasal mucosa is called what?
Olfactory area
What is special about the olfactory area of the nasal cavity?
Has specialized mucosa that contains the peripheral nerve endings from the olfactory nerve (CN I) for special sense olfaction (smell)
What are the boundaries of the nasal cavity (roof, floor, medial wall, lateral wall)?
Roof: frontal bone, ethmoid bone, sphenoid bone
Floor: palatine process of maxilla, horizontal plate of palatine bone
Medial Wall: nasal septum (perpendicular plate of ethmoid, vomer, septal cartilage, nasal crests of maxillary and palatine bones)
Lateral Wall: superior, middle, and inferior nasal conchae
The opening of the sphenoid sinus is what?
Sphenoid-ethmoidal recess
The opening of the ethmoidal sinuses is the what?
Superior nasal meatus
The opening of the frontal sinus is the what?
Middle nasal meatus
The opening of the maxillary sinus is the what?
Middle nasal meatus in posterior part of semilunar hiatus at the maxillary ostium (below ethmoid bulla)
The opening of the nasolacrimal duct is called the what?
Inferior nasal meatus
Where does most of the blood for the nasal cavity come from and go to?
Comes from the maxillary artery, specifically the sphenopalatine, and greater palatine arteries; also comes from anterior/posterior ethmoidal arteries, which are branches off the ophthalmic artery
Goes to lateral and medial walls of nasal cavity
Where does the venous drainage from the nasal cavity go to?
Spenopalatine, facial, and opthalmic veins
What is Kiesselbach’s area?
Area where all 5 arteries come together in a capillary bed that can bleed profusely
Where does the maxillary sinus drain to? What is its arterial supply? What is its innervation?
Drains: drains to middle meatus
Artery: superior alveolar branches of maxillary and greater palatine arteries
Innervation: superior alveolar nerve branches (V2)
Largest sinus
Where does the ethmoid sinus drain to? What is its arterial supply? What is its innervation?
Drains: anterior/middle ethmoidal cells drain to middle meatus; posterior ethmoidal cells drain to superior meatus
Artery: ethmoidal artery (from opthalmic)
Innervation: nasociliary nerves (V 1)
Ethmoid hair cells located between orbits
Where does the sphenoid sinus drain to? What is its arterial supply? What is its innervation?
Drains: via spheno-ethmoidal recess
Artery: posterior ethmoidal artery
Innervation: posterior ethmoidal nerve (V1)
Unevenly divided by bony part of nasal septum
Where does the frontal sinus drain to? What is its arterial supply? What is its innervation?
Drains: via frontonasal duct into semilunar hiatus of middle meatus
Artery: supraorbital and anterior ethmoidal arteries
Innervation: supraorbital nerves (V1)
Between outer and inner tables of frontal bone, posterior to superciliary arches
What is the pterygopalatine fossa?
Small, pyramid-shaped space that is found inferior to the apex of the orbit
What are the boarders (anterior, posterior, medial, lateral, roof, floor) of the pterygopalatine fossa?
Anterior: maxillary tuberosity
Posterior: pterygoid process of sphenoid (lateral plate)
Medial: perpendicular plate of palatine bone
Lateral: opens into infratemporal fossa via pterygomaxillary fissure
Roof: (incomplete) greater wing of sphenoid
Floor: pyramidal process of palatine bone
What are the superior and inferior openings of the pterygopalatine fossa?
Superior: opens into inferior orbital fissure
Inferior: closed except for palatine foramen
What are the contents of the pterygopalatine fossa?
Maxillary nerve (V2), pterygopalatine ganglion, and third part of maxillary artery
Parasympathetic fibers to the pterygopalatine ganglion come from what nerve?
CN VII (facial) via greater petrosal nerve
What forms the nerve of the pterygoid canal?
Greater petrosal nerve joins the deep petrosal nerve
Where do presynaptic parasympathetic fibers to the pterygopalatine fossa come from?
Superior cervical ganglion
Where does the deep petrosal nerve arise from and what does it do?
Arises from internal carotid plexus and conveys postsynaptic sympathetic fibers
