Respiratory Anatomy Part 1 Flashcards
(22 cards)
Conducting Airways
Passageways between the atmosphere and the gas exchange unit of the lungs.
- no gas exchange occurs here
- The conducting airways are divided into the upper and lower airway.
- The upper airway begins at the nose
The upper airway
- Nose
- Oral cavity
- Pharynx
- Larynx (Transition into the lower airway)
Functions of the nose
- Filters, humidifies and warms the inspired air
- Sense of smell
- generates resonance ((the quality of sound that stays loud, clear and deep) in phonation (speech)
Anatomy of the nose
- upper 1/3 is bone (Nasal bones and frontal process of the maxilla)
- Lower 2/3 consists of cartilage and some fibrous fatty tissue.
- Two chambers are divided by the nasal septum
- Two openings are called the nares/nostrils
Vestibule
Space just inside the nares
Vibrissae
Hair follicles located just inside the nares
*filters the inspired air (First line of defense)
What tissues lined the nasal cavity
Stratified squamous epithelium and pseudo stratified ciliated epithelium
Turbinates
- Conchae
- bony protrusions on the lateral (side) walls of the nasal cavity
- superior, middle and inferior turbinates
- function is to inspired gas into several different airstreams to humidify and warm the inspired air.
- nasal cavity is a very vascular area.
Sinuses
- Air filled cavities in the bones of the skull that communicate with the nasal cavity
- Produce mucous for the nasal cavity (Not the mucous like when you have a cold)
- Sphenoid, Ethmoid, Frontal and maxillary
Oral Cavity
- Accessory respiratory passage
- Vestibule, hard palate and soft palate make up the roof of the mouth
- Lined with stratified squamous epithelium
- Uvula (prevents food from going into the nasal cavity)
Pharynx
Made up of three sections
- Nasopharynx
- Oropharynx
- Laryngopharynx
Nasopharynx
Located between the posterior portion of the nasal cavity and the superior portion of the soft palate
*Lined with pseudo stratified ciliated columnar epithelium
Oropharynx
Lies between the soft palate and the base of the tongue
*The mucosa of the oropharynx is made of non-ciliated stratified squamous epithelium
Laryngopharynx
Lies between the base of the tongue and the opening of the esophagus
- lined with non-ciliated stratified squamous epithelium
- The epiglottis is positioned directly anterior to the Laryngopharynx
Pharyngeal reflux
*Gag reflux, swallowing reflux. This is the second line of defense
Larynx
- Voice box
* Opening into the trachea
What are the functions of the Larynx
- passageway for air to pass from the pharynx to the trachea
- Provides airway protection against aspiration
- Generates sound for speech
Laryngeal cartilage
- Thyroid-Largest (adams apple)
- Cricoid
- Epiglottis-Broad spoon shaped
- Arytenoid (paired)
- Corniculate (paired)
- Cuneform (Paired)
Cricoid Cartilage
Located inferior to the thyroid cartilage and forms a large portion of the posterior wall of the larynx
*The inferior border is attached to the first C-shaped cartilage of the trachea
Vocal cords
False and true are made up of folds and ligaments
Glottis
Space between the true vocal cords
Tissues of the larynx
- Stratified squamous epithelium is found above the vocal cords
- Pseudo stratified ciliated columnar epithelium is located below the vocal cords
