Pterygopalatine Fossa and Nasal Cavity

Question 1

What makes up the bony part of the external nose?

Answer 1

Nasal bones, frontal process of maxilla, nasal part of frontal bone and nasal spine, and bony part of nasal septum

Question 2

What makes up the cartilaginous part of the external nose?

Answer 2

2 lateral cartilages, 2 alar cartilages, and septal cartilage (nasal septum)

Question 3

All of the nasal cavity is lined with nasal mucosa except for what? Why?

Answer 3

Vestibule of the nose, because this is considered an external portion

Question 4

What is nasal mucosa connected to?

Answer 4

Periosteum of the bony parts of the nasal cavity and the perichondrium of the cartilaginous nasal components

Question 5

The inferior 2/3s of the nasal cavity that is lined with nasal mucosa is called what?

Answer 5

Respiratory area

Question 6

The superior 1/3 of the nasal cavity that is lined with nasal mucosa is called what?

Answer 6

Olfactory area

Question 7

What is special about the olfactory area of the nasal cavity?

Answer 7

Has specialized mucosa that contains the peripheral nerve endings from the olfactory nerve (CN I) for special sense olfaction (smell)

Question 8

What are the boundaries of the nasal cavity (roof, floor, medial wall, lateral wall)?

Answer 8

Roof: frontal bone, ethmoid bone, sphenoid bone

Floor: palatine process of maxilla, horizontal plate of palatine bone

Medial Wall: nasal septum (perpendicular plate of ethmoid, vomer, septal cartilage, nasal crests of maxillary and palatine bones)

Lateral Wall: superior, middle, and inferior nasal conchae

Question 9

The opening of the sphenoid sinus is what?

Answer 9

Sphenoid-ethmoidal recess

Question 10

The opening of the ethmoidal sinuses is the what?

Answer 10

Superior nasal meatus

Question 11

The opening of the frontal sinus is the what?

Answer 11

Middle nasal meatus

Question 12

The opening of the maxillary sinus is the what?

Answer 12

Middle nasal meatus in posterior part of semilunar hiatus at the maxillary ostium (below ethmoid bulla)

Question 13

The opening of the nasolacrimal duct is called the what?

Answer 13

Inferior nasal meatus

Question 14

Where does most of the blood for the nasal cavity come from and go to?

Answer 14

Comes from the maxillary artery, specifically the sphenopalatine, and greater palatine arteries; also comes from anterior/posterior ethmoidal arteries, which are branches off the ophthalmic artery

Goes to lateral and medial walls of nasal cavity

Question 15

Where does the venous drainage from the nasal cavity go to?

Answer 15

Spenopalatine, facial, and opthalmic veins

Question 16

What is Kiesselbach’s area?

Answer 16

Area where all 5 arteries come together in a capillary bed that can bleed profusely

Question 17

Where does the maxillary sinus drain to? What is its arterial supply? What is its innervation?

Answer 17

Drains: drains to middle meatus

Artery: superior alveolar branches of maxillary and greater palatine arteries

Innervation: superior alveolar nerve branches (V2)

Largest sinus

Question 18

Where does the ethmoid sinus drain to? What is its arterial supply? What is its innervation?

Answer 18

Drains: anterior/middle ethmoidal cells drain to middle meatus; posterior ethmoidal cells drain to superior meatus

Artery: ethmoidal artery (from opthalmic)

Innervation: nasociliary nerves (V 1)

Ethmoid hair cells located between orbits

Question 19

Where does the sphenoid sinus drain to? What is its arterial supply? What is its innervation?

Answer 19

Drains: via spheno-ethmoidal recess

Artery: posterior ethmoidal artery

Innervation: posterior ethmoidal nerve (V1)

Unevenly divided by bony part of nasal septum

Question 20

Where does the frontal sinus drain to? What is its arterial supply? What is its innervation?

Answer 20

Drains: via frontonasal duct into semilunar hiatus of middle meatus

Artery: supraorbital and anterior ethmoidal arteries

Innervation: supraorbital nerves (V1)

Between outer and inner tables of frontal bone, posterior to superciliary arches

Question 21

What is the pterygopalatine fossa?

Answer 21

Small, pyramid-shaped space that is found inferior to the apex of the orbit

Question 22

What are the boarders (anterior, posterior, medial, lateral, roof, floor) of the pterygopalatine fossa?

Answer 22

Anterior: maxillary tuberosity

Posterior: pterygoid process of sphenoid (lateral plate)

Medial: perpendicular plate of palatine bone

Lateral: opens into infratemporal fossa via pterygomaxillary fissure

Roof: (incomplete) greater wing of sphenoid

Floor: pyramidal process of palatine bone

Question 23

What are the superior and inferior openings of the pterygopalatine fossa?

Answer 23

Superior: opens into inferior orbital fissure

Inferior: closed except for palatine foramen

Question 24

What are the contents of the pterygopalatine fossa?

Answer 24

Maxillary nerve (V2), pterygopalatine ganglion, and third part of maxillary artery

Question 25

Parasympathetic fibers to the pterygopalatine ganglion come from what nerve?

Answer 25

CN VII (facial) via greater petrosal nerve

Question 26

What forms the nerve of the pterygoid canal?

Answer 26

Greater petrosal nerve joins the deep petrosal nerve

Question 27

Where do presynaptic parasympathetic fibers to the pterygopalatine fossa come from?

Answer 27

Superior cervical ganglion

Question 28

Where does the deep petrosal nerve arise from and what does it do?

Answer 28

Arises from internal carotid plexus and conveys postsynaptic sympathetic fibers