[2] Pharynx

1. features of the pharynx

2. where it is situated

3. clinical importance

1. wide, muscular tube

2. situated behind the nose, mouth and larynx

3. clinically it is part of the upper respiratory passage, where infections are common, particularly in children

functions of the upper, lower and middle part of pharynx

1. upper part- transmits only air

2. lower part (below inlet of larynx) - transmits only food

3. middle part - common passage for both air and food, though one at a time

at what vertebra does it continue as the oesophagus

opposite C6

dimensions of the pharynx

about 12-15 cm

width of each part of the pharynx

1. upper part - widest and non-collapsable at 3.5 cm

2. middle part - narrow

3. lower part - narrowest of GIT at about 1.5 cm, except for the vermiform appendix

boundaries of the pharynx (superior, inferior, posterior, anterior, lateral)

1. superiorly - base of the skull, including the posterior part of the body of the sphenoid and the basilar part of occipital bone in front of pharyngeal tubercle

2. inferiorly - continuous with the oesophagus at the level of 6th cervical vertebra or lower border of cricoid cartilage

3. posteriorly - it glides freely on the Prevertebral fascia which separates it from the bodies of cervical vertebrae

4. anteriorly - anterior wall is incomplete and it communicates with the nasal cavity, oral cavity and the larynx

5. on each side - it is attached to: medial pterygoid plate, pterygo-mandibular raphe, mandible, tongue, hyoid bone; and thyroid and cricoid cartilages

parts of the nasal cavity

1. nasal part/ nasopharynx/ epipharynx

2. oral part/ oropharynx/ mesopharynx

3. laryngeal part/ laryngopharynx/ hypopharynx

nasal part of pharynx / nasopharynx / epipharynx:

1. where is it situated

2. resembles which structure

3. function

4. walls are …

1. behind the nose and above the lower border of the soft palate

2. nose

3. respiration; no food ever enters

4. rigid and non-collapsable, so that the air passage is kept patent

nasal part of pharynx / nasopharynx / epipharynx:

5. lined by

6. nerve supply of mucous membranes

7. nerve supply of the rest of the pharynx

5. ciliated columnar epithelium

6. pharyngeal branch from pterygopalatine ganglion (V nerve)

7. IX and X nerves

communications and boundaries of the nasopharynx:

1. anteriorly it communicates with …

2. inferiorly it communicates with …

3. pharyngeal isthmus is bounded in front by … and behind by …

1. posterior nasal aperture

2. oropharynx at the pharyngeal isthmus (nasopharyngeal isthmus)

3. in front by the lower border of soft palate and behind by the posterior wall of pharynx

the lateral wall of the nasopharynx presents:

pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube, which lies half inch behind the inferior nasal concha

nasopharynx:

1. tubal elevation bounds …

2. salpingopharyngeal fold runs …

3. this fold is due to the underlying …

4. levator veli palatine muscle raises a …

5. pharyngeal recess (fossa of Rosenmuller) is situated …

6. a catheter missing the tubal opening may pass to the recess, perforate the … and may enter the …

1. the tubal opening

2. downwards from the posterior margin of tubal elevation and gradually fading in the side wall of the pharynx

3. salpingopharyngeal muscle

4. fold of mucous membrane just below the opening of auditory tube

5. behind the tubal elevation

6. lateral wall of nasopharynx and may enter the internal carotid artery (ICA)

nasopharynx:

1. roof and posterior wall is formed by ...

2. in relation to the roof there is ...

3. pathologically enlarged ... is known as adenoids; which may ...

4. lateral prolongation of pharyngeal tonsil behind the tubal opening is known as ...

1. posterior part of body of sphenoid, basiocciput and anterior arch of atlas

2. pharyngeal tonsil, well developed in children and smaller or absent in adults

3. pharyngeal tonsil, make nasal breathing impossible

4. tubal tonsil

oropharynx:

1. where is it situated

2. superior communication

3. anterior communication

4. below at the ... it opens into ...

5. behind it is supported by ... and ...

6. lateral wall presents ... in the ...; bounded anteriorly by ... and behind by ...

7. the wall of oropharynx is formed by ...

1. middle part of the pharynx, situated behind the oral cavity

2. above, it communicates with the nasopharynx through pharyngeal isthmus

3. in front, communicates with oral cavity through oropharyngeal isthmus

4. upper border of the epiglottis, laryngopharynx

5. body of axis and C3 vertebra

6. palatine tonsil in the tonsillar fossa; palatoglossal fold, palatopharyngeal fold

7. all three constrictors

the palatine tonsil:

1. pair of ...

2. situated in the ... of the ... of oropharynx

3. forms one component of the

1. lymphoid tissue

2. tonsillar fossa of the lateral wall of oropharynx

3. Waldeyer's ring

situation of the palatine tonsil:

1. lies in the ...

2. anterior and posterior boundaries

3. the 2 folds meet at the ... formed by the ...

4. the base of the fossa is formed by the ... of the ...

1. tonsillar fossa of the lateral wall of oropharynx

2. anteriorly - palatoglossal fold

posteriorly - palatopharyngeal fold

3. apex formed by the soft palate

4. dorsal surface of the posterior one third of the tongue

laryngopharynx:

1. lower part of pharynx situated ...

2. extends from the ...

3. the anterior wall presents ... and ...

4. posterior wall is supported by ...

1. behind the larynx

2. upper border of the epiglottis to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage

3. inlet of larynx and posterior surface of cricoid and arytenoid cartilages

4. body of C4, C5 and lower part of C3 vertebrae

laryngopharynx:

5. the pharyngeal wall in this region is formed by the ...

6. lateral wall presents the ...

7. the fossa is bounded medially by the ... and laterally by the ... and ...

8. deep to the mucosa of the piriform fossa is the ...

9. removal of foreign bodies from the fossa may ...

5. overlapping of three constrictors

6. piriform fossa on each side of the inlet of larynx

7. medially by the aryepiglottic fold and laterally by the thyroid cartilage and thyrohyoid membrane

8. internal laryngeal nerve

9. damage the internal laryngeal nerve which may cause aspiration, pneumonia and death