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Pharynx

1. Nasopharynx: superior to the soft palate and posterior to the nasal cavity.
2. Soft Palate.
3. Nasal Cavity.
4. Opening of the pharyngotympanic (auditory or
Eustachian) tube: lateral wall of the nasopharynx.
Behind it lays the tubal tonsil.
5. Torus tubarius (tubal elevation): a cartilages
prominence of the auditory tube lying superior to
(4). Behind it laterally there is a small depression
called the pharyngeal recess.
6. Salpingopharyngeal fold: extends from the torus
tubarius and covers the salpingopharyngeus muscle.
7. Pharyngeal tonsil (adenoids): immediately
posterior and superior to the torus tubarius on the posterior wall of the nasopharynx.
8. Levator veli palatini muscle.
9. Tensor veli palatini muscle.
10. Ascending palatine branch of the facial artery:
between the levator veli palatini muscle and the
tensor veli palatini muscle.
11. Oropharynx: between soft palate and epiglottis.
12. Epiglottis: leaf-shaped elastic cartilage situated
behind the root of the tongue.
13. Palatoglossal fold: anterior lateral mucosa fold in the
oropharynx, it covers the palatoglossus Ms.
14. Palatopharyngeal fold: posterior lateral mucosal fold
in the oropharynx, it covers the palatopharyngeus Ms.
15. Palatine tonsil: between the 2 folds (palatoglossal fold
& palatopharyngeal fold) and it lies in the tonsillar sinus.
16. Lingual tonsil: present at the base of the tongue.
17. Vallecula: a depression between the base of the tongue (posterior to it) and the anterior surface of
the epiglottis.
18. Median glossoepiglottic fold: divides the vallecula into
right and left parts.
19. Lateral glossoepiglottic folds
20. Laryngopharynx: extends from the entrance of the
larynx to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage.
21. Aryepiglottic fold: between the epiglottis and the
cricoid cartilage.
22. Piriform recess: lateral sides of the larynx. It is
bounded medially by the aryepiglottic fold, and
laterally by the thyroid cartilage and the thyrohyoid
membrane.
23. Superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle.
24. Middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle.
25. Inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle: its lower fibers are sometimes called the Cricopharyngeus
muscle.
26. Median pharyngeal raphe: a fibrous septum located in the midline on the posterior wall of the
pharynx and attaches superiorly to the pharyngeal tubercle of the occipital bone.

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27. Stylopharyngeus muscle.

28. Glossopharyngeal nerve (CIX): runs on the
stylopharyngeus muscle.
29. Pharyngeal isthmus: opening in the floor of the
nasopharynx between the free edges of the soft palate
and the posterior pharyngeal wall.
30. Oropharyngeal isthmus: opening between the
mouth and the oral pharynx.

 Nerve Supply:
a) Motor nerve supply:
i. Cranial part of the accessory nerve:
through the vagus nerve in the
pharyngeal plexus to all muscles of the pharynx.
ii. Glossopharyngeal nerve: supplies the stylopharyngeus muscle.
b) Sensory nerve supply:
i. Maxillary: Mucous membrane of the nasopharynx.
ii. Glossopharyngeal nerve: mucous membrane of the oral pharynx.
iii. Internal laryngeal branch of the vagus nerve: mucous membrane around the entrance into the
larynx.
 Blood Supply:
a) Arterial supply: the pharynx is supplied by branches of…
i. Ascending pharyngeal.
ii. Ascending palatine.
iii. Facial.
iv. Maxillary.
v. Lingual.
b) Venous drainage: the veins drain into the pharyngeal venous plexus  internal jugular vein.
 Lymph Drainage:
a) Directly: deep cervical lymph nodes.
b) Indirectly: via the retropharyngeal or paratracheal nodes to the deep cervical lymph nodes.

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