Upper respiratory tract anatomy Part 1; nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses

Question 1

what are the 3 regions found in the nasal cavities

Answer 1

• nasal vestibules
• olfactory regions
• respiratory regions

Question 1

upper respiratory tract

what 5 things form the anatomy of the upper respiratory tract

think:
- n
- p
- p
- l
- m

Answer 1

• nose and nasal cavities
• paranasal air sinuses
• pharynx
• larynx
• middle ear

Question 2

what do the choanae open up into

Answer 2

nasopharynx

Question 3

what cartilage and 2 bones make up the medial walls of the nasal cavities and where are they located anatomically

Answer 3

cartilage:
- septal cartilage
- located anteriorly

bones:
- ethmoid bone
- vomer bone
- located posteriorly

Question 4

where does the cribriform plates sit and what do they do?

Answer 4

• sit in the olfactory region
• allow for small perforations for the olfactory nerves (CN I)

Question 5

what do conchae create, what are they called and where are they contained

think:
- air channels

Answer 5

the conchae:

• • cochae create 4 air channels below themselves
• called meatuses
• contained within respiratory regions of the nasal cavity

Question 6

function of the chonchae or the turbinates

what is the function of the conchae and meatuses?

Answer 6

to increase the surface area of contact between tissues of the lateral wall of the nasal cavity and the respired air

Question 7

what 3 things do the conchae and meatuses improve for inspired air?

• f
• h
• h

Answer 7

• filtration
• heating
• humidification

Question 8

nasal polyps (abnormalities)

what does swelling and inflammation of the respiratory epithelium due to recurrent attacks of rhinitis result in?

Answer 8

results in formation of polyps

Question 9

abnormalities: deviated nasal septum

what 4 things can deviated nasal septum lead to

• s
• s
• d
• s

Answer 9

• sinus infections
• snoring
• difficulty breathing
• sleep apnoea

Question 10

paranasal air sinuses

waht are the 4 types of paranasal air sinuses

Answer 10

• frontal
• ethomoidal
• sphenoidal
• maxillary

Question 11

what type of respiratory epithelium do the paranasal sinuses have and what does this unfortunately favour?

Answer 11

• ciliated mucous secreting respiratory epithelium
• favours spread of infection

Question 12

what is the 3 functions of the paranasal sinuses

Answer 12

• lighten weight of head
• humidify and heat inhaled air
• increase the resonance of speech

Question 13

blood supply to nasal cavities and air sinuses

what 3 places does the blood supply for the nasal cavities and air sinuses come from and where does these come from?

Answer 13

• from branches of the facial, maxillary and ophthalmic arteries
• come from external and internal carotid arteries

Question 14

what is the ophthalmic artery a branch of and where does it supply?

Answer 14

• Branch of internal carotid arteries
  -only supplies nasal cavities and the air sinuses

Question 15

where does the facial artery branch from and where does it supply other than the nasal cavities and the air sinuses?

for where it supplies, think:
- (1) mouth (2) anterior

Answer 15

the facial artery:

• branches from external carotid artery
• also supplies lip tissue and anterior nasal cavities

Question 16

Maxillary artery, where does it branch from and where does it supply other than the nasal cavities and the air sinuses?

Answer 16

• branches from external carotid artery
• also supplies nasal mucosa and maxillary and sphenoidal sinuses

Question 17

sensory supply to the paranasal nasal sinuses

what is the major general sensory cranial nerve of the head and what are its 3 divisions

Answer 17

• trigeminal nerve

3 divisions:
- ophthalmic (V1)
- maxillary (V2)
- mandibular (V3)

Question 18

where does the sensory supply for the frontal sinuses come from

Answer 18

ophthalmic division (V1) of trigeminal nerve (CN V)

Question 19

which 2 divisions of the trigeminal nerve does the sensory supply for sphenoidal sinuses come from

Answer 19

both:
- opthalmic (V1)
- maxillary (V2)

divisions of the trigeminal nerve

Question 20

where does sensory supply for the maxillary sinuses come from

Answer 20

comes from the maxillary (V2) division of the trigeminal nerve

Question 21

nerve supply to nasal cavities

what 2 divisions of the trigeminal nerve carry touch pain and temperature sensation from the nasal mucosa

Answer 21

• opthalmic (V1)
• maxillary (V2)

Question 22

what is anosmia

Answer 22

loss of smell

Question 23

what nerves, carried in the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve, supply:
- mucous producing cells of the nasal mucosa
- smooth muscle walls of blood vessels in the respiratory epithelium

Answer 23

Mucous producing cells:
- parasympathetic neurons

smooth muscle walls of blood vessels:
- sympathetic neurons

Question 24

sinusitis and pain patterns

what is sinusitis and what is a common sensation in sinusitis

Answer 24

• pain over the site of an infected sinus
• sinusitis is inflammation of the lining of the nasal cavity and the sinuses

Question 25

what are 3 symptoms of sinusitis

think:
- n
- n
- h

Answer 25

• nasal blockage/congestion
• nasal discharge
• reduced sense of smell (hyposmia)

Question 26

why would a patient have a headache with frontal sinusitis

Answer 26

due to compression/irritiation of branches from the opthalmic division trigeminal nerve (CN V1)

Question 27

why would a patient have toothache with acute maxillary sinusitis

Answer 27

due to compression/irritation of branches from the maxillary division of trigeminal nerve (CN V2)

Question 28

cribriform plate: what passes through it and where does it branch from?

Answer 28

• fibres of olfactory nerve
• branches from the ophthalmic vessels

Question 29

where does the sphenoid sinus drains into

Answer 29

Drains into the sphenoethmoïdal recess

Question 30

where do the maxillary, ethmoidal and frontal sinuses mainly drain into?

Answer 30

the middle meatus

Question 31

what does drains tears and where does it drain tears into?

Answer 31

• nasolacrimal duct
• drains into the inferior meatus

Question 32

What 3 structures forms the lateral walls of the nasal cavities?

Answer 32

• bones of the skull
• cartilage
• soft tissues

Question 33

What is a common site for nosebleeds and where does it lie?

Answer 33

• the Anastomotic plexus of arteries
• lies on the anterior cartilaginous septum