Anatomy of Pharynx
Anatomy of Pharynx
Anatomy of Pharynx
Boundaries –
Base of skull
Sinus of
Morgagni Eustachian tube
a. Mucous membrane
a. Superior Constrictor
Sub mucosa
Venous Plexus
b. Pharyngobasilar fascia
b. Middle Constrictor
c. Muscular coat
d. Buccopharyngeal fascia
c. Inferior Constrictor
Division of Pharynx
• The nasal part –
NASOPHARYNX/ EPIPHARYNX
(extends from base of skull to soft
palate)
N
• The oral part – OROPHARYNX
(extends from hard palate to O
hyoid bone)
L
• The laryngeal part –
LARYNGOPHARYNX/
HYPOPHARYNX
(extends from upper border
of epiglottis to lower
border of cricoid cartilage)
NASOPHARYNX
It is the upper most part.
It lies behind the nasal cavity
Roof- Basisphenoid and Basiocciput.
Posterior wall- Arch of Atlas vertebrae covered by
prevertebral muscles and fascia.
Anterior wall- Posterior nasal apertures (Choanae).
Lateral wall on both sides
- Opening of Eustachian Tube
-Tubal opening bounded by Tubal elevation/Torus tubarius
-Salpingopharyngeal fold raised by Salpingopharyngeus
muscle
-Fossa of Rosenmuller or Lateral/Pharyngeal Recess
Inferiorly- It communicates with oropharynx
1. Pharyngeal/ Nasopharyngeal Tonsil-it is a
subepithelial collection of lymphoid tissue
opposite the basiocciput.
2. Pharyngeal Bursa-it is the small median recess in
the mucosa covering the tonsil.
3. Rathke’s pouch-it is reminiscent of buccal mucosal
invagination, to form anterior lobe of pituitary.
4. Tubal tonsil-collection of subepithelial lymphoid
tissue situated at the tubal elevation.
5. Sinus of Morgagni-space between skull and upper
free border of superior constrictor muscle.
Structures passing through this gap-
-Levator veli palatini
-Ascending palatine artery
-Tensor veli palatini
-Eustachian tube
6. Passavant’s Ridge-mucosal ridge raised by fibres of
Palatopharyngeus. It encircles posterior and lateral walls
of nasopharyngeal isthmus. Soft palate during its
contraction makes firm contact with this ridge to cut off
nasopharynx from oropharynx during deglutition or
speech
• Nasopharynx is lined by Pseudostratified
Ciliated Columnar epithelium.
• Lymphatic drainage-
Deep cervical nodes
Spinal accessory chain of nodes
Contralateral lymph nodes
OROPHARYNX
It is the middle part of the pharynx situated behind
the oral cavity.
Soft Palate
Uvula Posterior
Pharyngeal Wall
Boundaries
• Above- communicates with nasopharynx through
nasopharyngeal isthmus.
• Below- opens into laryngopharynx.
• Anterior wall-
upper part- deficient, oropharynx communicates with oral
cavity through Oropharyngeal isthmus/ Isthmus of Fauces.
lower part- base of tongue
- lingual tonsils
- valleculae
• Posterior wall- Third cervical vertebrae.
• Lateral wall- Palatine/Faucial tonsil
- Anterior pillar (Palatoglossus muscle)
- Posterior pillar (Palatopharyngeus muscle)
Lymphatic drainage
Oropharynx- Into Upper Jugular chain
particularly Jugulodigastric (tonsillar) node.