Nasal: Anatomy and Physiology

Question 1

what is the nasal function?

Answer 1

> airway in respiration (neonates are obligate nasal breathers)
> warming inspired air
> humidification
> filtration of large particular matter 
> mucus production, trapping and ciliary clearance 
> immune protection
> olfaction
> drainage
> voice modification
> pheromone detection

Question 2

describe sinoasal mucosa

Answer 2

respiratory ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells

Question 3

what does the nose drain?

Answer 3

> middle ear via Eustachian tube

> paranasal sinuses and nasolacrimal duct

Question 4

what are the functions of the sinuses?

Answer 4

debatable:
> vocal resonance?
> decrease weight of skull and facial bones?
> buffer for trauma?

Question 5

name the different parts of the external nose shape

Answer 5

> glabella
> nasion
> dorsum
> supratip
> tip
> collumnella

Question 6

name the three structures that make up the external nose

Answer 6

> nasal bone
upper lateral cartilage
lower lateral cartilage

Question 7

what fraction of the nose is made up from bone?

Answer 7

1/3

Question 8

what bones make up the nose?

Answer 8

frontal processes of the maxilla and nasal parts of the frontal bones

Question 9

what is the middle partition of the internal nose?

Answer 9

nasal septum

Question 10

what makes up the lateral walls of the internal nose?

Answer 10

turbinates

Question 11

what makes up the roof of the nose?

Answer 11

cribriform plate

Question 12

what makes up the floor of the internal nose?

Answer 12

the hard palate

Question 13

what structures are associated with the internal nose?

Answer 13

> paranasal sinuses

> nasopharynx

Question 14

what abnormalities can there be associated with the nasal septum?

Answer 14

> deviation (congenital or acquired)
septal perforation
septal haematoma

Question 15

what are turbinate’s?

Answer 15

bony scroll like projections form the lateral wall of the nose (superior, middle ad inferior)

Question 16

what is each turbinate associated with?

Answer 16

its respective meatus (passage leading to the interior of the body)

Question 17

how may turbinates lead to nasal blockage?

Answer 17

infection and inflammation

Question 18

how are turbinate blockage usually managed?

Answer 18

with topical steroids or surgically with turbinate reduction surgery

Question 19

name the paranasal sinuses

Answer 19

> frontal
maxillary
ethmoid (anterior and posterior)
sphenoid

Question 20

what is the inferior meatus?

Answer 20

nasolacrimal duct?

Question 21

what makes up the middle meatus?

Answer 21

frontal, maxillary and anterior ethmoid

Question 22

what makes up the superior meatus?

Answer 22

posterior ethmoid and sphenoid

Question 23

what is rhino sinusitis?

Answer 23

a concurrent inflammatory and infective process that affects the nasal passageway and contiguous para nasal sinuses

Question 24

what are the different categories of rhino sinusitis?

Answer 24

> acute
chronic:
-allergic
-non allergic (with or without polyps)

Question 25

what are the important relations of the sphenoid sinus?

Answer 25

> optic nerve
internal carotid artery
cavernous sinus

Question 26

what sinus are the orbits related to?

Answer 26

maxillary sinus

Question 27

what are the frontal and the ethmoid sinuses related to?

Answer 27

anterior cranial fossa

Question 28

what is the relevance of the anatomical relations of the sinuses?

Answer 28

> infection can spread through the; meninges, intracranial abscess and orbital sepsis
surgical risk; CSF leak, orbital complications

Question 29

describe the anterior nasal blood supply

Answer 29

derived from branches of the internal carotid artery

Question 30

describe the posterior nasal blood supply

Answer 30

derived from branches of the external carotid artery: sphenopalatine artery

Question 31

what areas causes most nosebleeds?

Answer 31

littles area

Question 32

what can cause nosebleeds?

Answer 32

> trauma
> anticoagulants
> iatrogenic
> idiopathic
> hypertension

Question 33

what nerve supplies the nose?

Answer 33

trigeminal nerve

Question 34

what can cause olfactory dysfunction?

Answer 34

> rhinosinusitis
postviral anosmia
trauma

Question 35

what does the olfactory bulb have a direct communication to?

Answer 35

the brain