The Pharynx and Swallowing

Flashcards covering the muscles of the pharynx and the process of swallowing.

Pharynx

Muscular tube attached to the base of the skull (temporal, sphenoid, and occipital bones) made mostly of skeletal muscle.

Attachments of the Pharynx

Pterygomandibular raphe, Lesser and greater horns of the hyoid, Posterior border of thyroid cartilage, Side of cricoid cartilage, Medial plate of pterygoid, Pterygoid hamulae, Stylohyoid ligament, Oblique line, Cricothyroid muscle, Cricoid cartilage

Two Main Muscle Groups of the Pharynx

Constrictor and Longitudinal muscles.

Innervation of the Pharynx

Cranial nerves IX and X.

Action of the Pharynx Muscles

Narrows the pharyngeal cavity

Function of Constrictor Muscles

Moves a bolus of food from the pharynx into the esophagus.

Origin of Superior Constrictor

Pterygomandibular raphe.

Insertion of Superior Constrictor

Median Raphe of pharyngeal apornerosis.

Action of Superior Constrictor

Pulls pharyngeal wall forward and constricts

Origin of Middle Constrictor

Horns of the hyoid and stylohyoid ligament.

Insertion of Middle Constrictor

Median pharyngeal raphe.

Action of Middle Constrictor

Narrows diameter of pharynx.

Origin of Inferior Constrictor

Thyroid and Cricoid cartilage.

Insertion of Inferior Constrictor

Pharyngeal raphe and Orifice of the oesophagus.

Action of Inferior Constrictor

Constricts superior orifice of oesophagus.

Parts of Inferior Constrictor

Cricopharyngeus and Thyropharyngeus.

Longitudinal Muscles of the Pharynx

Palatopharyngeus, Salpingopharyngeus, Stylopharyngeous

Function of Longitudinal Muscles

Elevate the pharyngeal wall up and over a bolus of food as it moves into the oesophagus.

Structures passing through gap superior to superior constrictor muscle

Levator veli palatini, pharynotympani tube and ascending palatine artery

Structures passing through gap inferior to superior constrictor and above the middle constrictor

Hypoglossal nerve

Structures passing through gap superior to the inferior constrictor and inferior to the middle constrictor

Internal laryngeal vessels

Structures passing through gap below the inferior constrictor muscle

Recurrent laryngeal nerve and vessels

Blood Supply to Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands

External Carotid Arteries and branches of the thyrocervical trunk.

Blood vessels for the Thyroid Gland

Superior thyroid artery and Inferior thyroid vessel

Three Stages of Swallowing

Buccal phase, Pharyngeal stage, Esophageal stage.

Dysphagia

Difficulty in swallowing

What bones does the pharynx attach too?

The pharynx is a muscular tube which takes its attachments from the base of the skull, namely the:
• temporal bones
• sphenoid and
• occipital bone

What are the 2 main muscle groups that the pharynx splits into?

• Constrictor muscles
• Longitudinal muscles

What are the constrictor muscles?

What are the inferior constrictor muscles?

What are the superior constrictor muscles?

What are the middle constrictor muscles?

What is this?

What is this?

What are the Constrictor muscles and Longitudinal muscles innervated by?

They are supplied by the pharyngeal plexus which consists of cranial nerves IX and X (same as the muscles of the soft palate)

What is the origin, insertion, innervation and action of the superior constrictor?

What is the origin, insertion, innervation and action of the middle constrictor?

What is the origin, insertion, innervation and action of the inferior constrictor?

What are the 2 parts of the inferior constrictor

• Cricopharyngeus
• Thyropharyngeus

Where does the cricopharyngeus attach?

• Cricopharyngeus which attaches to the cricoid cartilage (transverse fibres). Comes from the cricoid cartilage to the pharynx.

Where does the thyropharyngeus attach onto?

• Thyropharyngeus which attached to the thyroid cartilage (superior). Comes from the thyroid cartilage to the pharynx.

What are the 3 longitundinal muscles?

Palatopharyngeus
Salpingopharyngeus
Stylopharyngeous

Where is the palatopharyngeus?

Palatopharyngeus – from the palatine aproneurosis and runs posteriorly and inferiorly and blends with the deep pharyngeal wall (also a muscle of the soft palate).

Where is the salpingopharyngeus?

Salpingopharyngeus – from the cartilaginous part of the pharyngotympanic tube (salpinx = tube) and blends with the deep pharyngeal wall (small muscle). During swallowing the eustachian tube opens to equilibrate

Where is the stylopharyngeus

Stylopharyngeous – from the styloid process of the temporal bone, descends between the superior and middle constrictor muscles where is fans out and blends with the deep pharyngeal wall.

Where do the longitudinal muscles attach and what do they do?

All three descend and attach into the pharyngeal wall.
The longitudinal muscles elevate the pharyngeal wall up and over a bolus of food as it moves into the oesophagus

What is the pharyngeal wall?

The pharyngeal wall is a muscular structure that forms the lateral and posterior walls of the pharynx, playing a crucial role in swallowing and directing food towards the esophagus.

Look at this diagram of the 4 gaps in the pharyngeal wall

What are the 4 gaps in the pharyngeal wall?

1) Pharyngeal fascia

2) Between superior and middle constrictor

3) Between middle and inferior constrictor

4) Below the inferior constrictor

Where does majority of the blood supply come from for the thyroid and parathyroid gland

The majority of this blood supply comes form the External Carotid Arteries and branches of the thyrocervical trunk (branches of the subclavian artery)

Look at this diagram of the blood supply

What are the 3 stages of swallowing?

Describe the process of swallowing

Swallowing is a complex process that involves three stages: the oral stage, where food is voluntarily pushed to the back of the mouth; the pharyngeal stage, which is involuntary and moves food down through the pharynx; and the esophageal stage, where food travels through the esophagus to the stomach.