Week 10 - Pharynx

Question 1

What are the boundaries of the sections of the pharynx?

Answer 1

Nasopharynx = from the back edge of the nasal septum to the edge of the soft palate Oropharynx = from edge of the soft palate to the tip of the epiglottis Laryngopharynx = tip of epiglottis to the cricoid cartilage (then becomes the trachea and oesophagus)

Question 2

What is the nasopharynx lined by?

Answer 2

Respiratory epithelium

Question 3

What tube opens into the nasopharynx?

Answer 3

Auditory tube

Question 4

What is found around the auditory tube?

Answer 4

The tubal elevation and tubal tonsil

Question 5

What does the auditory tube allow? Why is this needed?

Answer 5

Allows air to pass into the middle ear from the nasopharynx Needed because the middle ear is air filled and lined by respiratory epithelium. The epithelium absorbs the air over time so auditory tube allows the air to be replaced.

Question 6

What is a clinical significance of the connection between the nasopharynx and middle ear via the auditory tube?

Answer 6

Infection can pass from the nasopharynx to the middle ear

Question 7

What recess is found behind/next to the auditory tube opening in the nasopharynx?

Answer 7

The pharyngeal recess

Question 8

What is a clinical significance of the pharyngeal recess?

Answer 8

Can get malignant change here which is very hard to detect, diagnose and treat

Question 9

What muscle is found in the palatoglossal fold?

Answer 9

Palatoglossus muscle

Question 10

What tonsils are found in the tonsillar fossa? Where is this located?

Answer 10

Palatine tonsils Between the palatoglossal and glossopharyngeal arches

Question 11

What is the space between the tongue and epiglottis called?

Answer 11

Vallecula

Question 12

What tonsils are found on the posterior part of the dorsum of the tongue?

Answer 12

lingual tonsils

Question 13

What forms the epiglottis?

Answer 13

Cartilage and elastic fibres

Question 14

What is the space between the 2 palatoglossal folds called?

Answer 14

The isthmus of the facets

Question 15

Where is a common site for fishbones to get stuck?

Answer 15

The pyriform fossa (also sometimes the vallecula)

Question 16

What is the pyriform fossa?

Answer 16

a pear-shaped recess (pocket in the mucosa) found in the laryngopharynx

Question 17

Why are tonsils removed sparingly now?

Answer 17

Because the tonsillar branch of the facial artery is at risk of haemorrhage during surgery

Question 18

What is Waldeyer’s ring?

Answer 18

Collection (non-continuous ring) of lymphatic surrounding the pharynx. It responds to pathogens that are inhaled to protect the airways. Composed from: -lingual tonsils -palatine tonsils -tubal tonsils -Pharyngeal tonsils

Question 19

Describe the lingual tonsils

Answer 19

-located on posterior base of tongue -form antero-inferior part of ring -Drain lymph into jugulo-omohyoid lymph nodes

Question 20

Describe the palatine tonsils.

Answer 20

-fauces -well developed in young children as active located on each side of the mouth between the palatoglossal and glossopharyngeal arches -form lateral part of ring -Drain lymph into jugulodigastric lymph nodes

Question 21

Describe the tubal tonsils

Answer 21

-Located in cartilaginous tubal elevation around opening of auditory tube -form lateral part of ring??

Question 22

Describe the pharyngeal tonsils.

Answer 22

-Nasopharyngeal/adenoid tonsils -Located in roof of nasopharynx (posterior border), behind the uvula -Form postero-superior part of ring

Question 23

Describe where the stylopharyngeal muscle is seen.

Answer 23

Arises from the styloid process and goes between the superior and middle constrictor muscles before blending with the connective tissue of wall of pharynx

Question 24

What is the function of the stylopharyngeus muscle?

Answer 24

Form the lateral walls of pharynx

Question 25

What nerve supplied the stylopharyngeus?

Answer 25

Glossopharyngeal nerve

Question 26

What is the role of the glossopharyngeal nerve in the pharynx?

Answer 26

Sensory to the oropharynx and nasopharynx and innervated the stylopharyngeus

Question 27

What innervates the pharyngeal constrictor muscles?

Answer 27

Pharyngeal plexus which come from the vagus nerve

Question 28

What kind of muscle are the pharyngeal constrictors made from? Is the action voluntary?

Answer 28

Skeletal muscle The first act in swallowing is voluntary but the rest is a strong reflex

Question 29

What muscle attaches to the pterygomandibular raphe?

Answer 29

Buccinator

Question 30

What muscles are attached to the pharyngeal raphe?

Answer 30

Superior, middle and inferior constrictors