Pharynx, Larynx, and Soft Palate

What are the three parts of the pharynx?

Nasopharynx, Oropharynx, and Laryngopharynx

What is the nasopharynx?

From tip of soft palate to base of skull

What is the oropharynx?

From tip of soft palate to tip of epiglottis

What is the laryngopharynx?

From tip of epiglottis to lower border of cricoid cartilage

What is the hypopharynx?

Superior portion of esophagus

What is the function of the pharynx?

Dual: both respiratory and digestive

What is the potential space located between the buccopharyngeal fascia and pre-vertebral fascia?

Retropharyngeal space

What is the retropharyngeal space also known as?

“Danger space”

What are the pharyngeal constrictors?

Superior, middle, and inferior

What is the function of the pharyngeal constrictors?

Constrict wall of pharynx during swallowing

What innervates the pharyngeal constrictors?

CN X

What is dysphagia?

Difficulty swallowing

How is oropharyngeal dysphagia usually caused?

Neuromuscular defect

How is esophageal dysphagia usually caused?

Motility disorder or an obstruction

Where is the sympathetic trunk found?

Posterior and medial to carotid sheath

What covers the posterior pharyngeal wall?

Buccopharyngeal fascia

What do the retropharyngeal lymph nodes drain?

Nasopharynx, adenoids, middle ear, and auditory tube

In what demographic are retropharyngeal abscesses most common?

Children between 2-4 years old

What composes the “anterior” wall of the oropharynx?

Palatoglossal arches and pharyngeal portion (posterior 1/3) of tongue

What is indicated by A?

Choana

What is indicated by B?

Palatoglossal arch

What is indicated by C?

Palatopharyngeal arch

What is indicated by D?

Vallecula

What is indicated by E?

Epiglottis

What is indicated by E?

Position of arytenoid cartilage

What is indicated by F?

Middle nasal concha

What is indicated by G?

Inferior nasal concha

What is indicated by H?

Soft palate

What is indicated by I?

Uvula

What is indicated by J?

Palatine tonsil

What is indicated by K?

Tongue

What is indicated by L?

Median glossoepiglottic fold

What is indicated by M?

Lateral glossoepiglottic fold

What is indicated by N?

Piriform recess

What is valleculae?

Between median/lateral glossoepiglottic folds

The auditory/pharyngotympanic tube connects the pharynx to what other space?

Middle ear

What is the function of the muscles of the lateral pharyngeal wall?

Elevate, shorten, and widen the pharynx during deglutition and phonation

What are the muscles of the lateral pharyngeal wall?

Palatopharyngeus, salpingopharyngeus, and stylopharyngeus

What is palatopharyngeus?

Hard palate to thyroid cartilage/pharynx

What is salpingopharyngeus?

Pharyngotympatic tube to palatopharyngeus

What is stylopharyngeus?

Styloid process to thyroid cartilage with palatopharyngeus; separates superior and middle pharyngeal constrictors

What provides the sensory limb for the gag reflex?

CN IX

What provides the motor limb for the gag reflex?

CN X

What provides the sensory limb for the cough reflex?

Vagus nerve

What provides the motor limb for the cough reflex?

Vagus, phrenic, and spinal motor nerves to diaphragm, abdominal wall

What is indicated by A?

Laryngeal prominence

What is indicated by B?

Superior thyroid notch

What innervates cricothyroid?

External laryngeal nerve

What is the action of cricothyroid?

Stretches and tenses vocal ligament

What innervates the majority of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles?

Inferior (recurrent) laryngeal nerve

What is the action of thyroarytenoid?

Relaxes vocal ligament

What is the action of lateral cricoarytenoid?

Adducts vocal folds

What is the action of posterior cricoarytenoid?

Abducts vocal folds

What is the action of transverse and oblique arytenoid?

Adducts arytenoid cartilages

What is the action of vocalis?

Relaxes posterior portion of vocal ligament while maintaining tension on anterior vocal ligament

What is the action of thyroepiglottic?

Widens laryngeal inlet by inferiorly displacing epiglottis

What is found in the vestibular fold?

Vestibular ligament (false vocal cord)

What is found in the vocal fold?

Vocal ligament (true vocal cord)

What is the rima glottidis?

Potential space between the vocal ligaments; primary conduit for airflow through the larynx

What is laryngitis?

Inflammation of the larynx

What does the left recurrent laryngeal nerve wrap around in the thorax?

Aortic arch

What provides sensory innervation of the internal larynx?

Internal laryngeal nerve (branch of superior laryngeal nerve)

What is a tracheostomy?

Surgically-created transverse incision through the skin of the neck and anterior trachea

What is cut through in a cricothyrotomy?

Cricothyroid membrane

What connects the hard and soft palates?

Palatine aponeurosis

When is the soft palate depressed?

During chewing

What is the soft palate elevated?

During swallowing to seal off nasopharynx from oropharynx

If the vagus nerve is damaged, how does the soft palate appear?

Asymmetric (flaccid and slowly lower on side of lesion), uvula will deviate to opposite side of lesion due to unopposed pull of the intact palatal muscles

What supplies the mucosal surface of the palatine tonsils?

Tonsillar branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve

What are the boundaries of the palatine tonsils?

Palatoglossal arch and palatopharyngeal arch

What are the tonsillar rings?

Lymphoid masses in nasopharynx and oropharynx that serve as antigen-sampling devices to assist in immunological surveillance and development of immunocompetence.