Week 3 - Severson Flashcards
What is the extent of the pharynx?
Base of the skull to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage of the larynx (C6)
What is the relationship of the lower part of the pharynx to the larynx?
The pharynx is continuous with the larynx as a passageway for food
What is the function of pharynx?
Conducts inspired air from the nose into the larynx
With what structures does the pharynx communicate anteriorly?
Nose, mouth, and larynx
What structures are found in the buccopharyngeal fascia?
Pharyngeal plexus of nerves and vessels
What space is found between the buccopharyngeal fascia and the anterior surface of the vertebral column?
Retropharyngeal space
What is the pharyngobasilar fascia and where is it located?
- submucosa that forms folds and arches when it covers the muscles
- firmly attached to the base of the skull
What three muscles form the musclular wall?
- Superior constrictor
- Middle constrictor
- Inferior constrictor
Where does each of the three muscles of the musclar layer originate?
- Superior
- mandible, medial pterygoid plate, and pterygomandibular raphe
- Middle
- hyoid bone and stylohyoid ligament
- Inferior
- cricoid and thyroid cartilage
What is the common site of insertion for the three muscles of the muscular layer?
Posteriorly into a fibrous median raphe
What is the cricopharyngeus muscle, and what is its significance?
- Lowest fibers of the inferior constrictor muscle
- exerts a sphincter effect of the lower pharynx, which prevents air from entering the stomach or regurgitation
What nerve innervates the three muscles of the muscular layer?
Pharyngeal Plexus (Vagus Nerve - CN X)
Where does the stylopharyngeus muscle originate and insert?
- Originate:
- tip of styloid process
- Insert:
- between the superior and middle constrictor muscles
What is the innervation of the stylopharyngeus muscle?
Glossopharyngeal Nerve - CN IX
How are the palatopharyngeus and salpingopharyngeus muscles innervated?
Pharyngeal Plexus (Vagus Nerve - CN X)
With what area anteriorly does the nasopharynx communicate?
posterior nasal apertures
What structure closes off the nasopharynx from the remainder of the pharynx?
Elevation of the soft palate
What structure marks the entrance to the auditory tube?
Tubul elevation
(a.k.a. torus tubarius)
What tonsillar tissue is found in nasopharynx?
Pharyngeal tonsils
(a.k.a. adenoids)
What cranial nerves supply the mucosa of the nasopharynx?
Maxillary Division of Trigeminal (V2)
With what area does the oropharynx communicate anteriorly?
Mouth
(via oropharyngeal isthmus)
What folds or arches mark the boundaries of the palatine tonsils?
Anteriorly: Palatoglossal arch
Posteriorly: Palatopharyngeal arch
What cranial nerve serves as the afferent and efferent limbs for the gag reflex?
- Afferent = Glossopharyngeal (CN IX)
- Efferent = Vagus (CN X)
What role does the epiglottis play in swallowing?
Directs food down the laryngopharynx into the esophagus.
Where is the piriform recess, and what cranial nerve innervates this area?
- Grooves located on either side of the laryngeal inlet
- Innervated by Internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve
- branch of Vagus Nerve - CN X
What is the sensory innervation of the remainder of the laryngopharynx?
Glossopharyngeal Nerve (CN IX)
What nerves provide motor innervation to the pharyngeal muscles?
Pharyngeal branch of Vagus Nerve (CN X)
(except Stylopharyngeus which is CN IX)
How are the sensory nerves of the pharynx distributed?
- Glossopharyngeal Nerve (CN IX)
- Nasopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Laryngopharynx
- Maxillary Division of Trigeminal (CN V2)
- Nasopharynx
- Vagus Nerve (CN X)
- Laryngopharynx