HUMAN ANATOMY 173

Pharynx

PHARYNX Oropharynx Behind Soft palate Passage of

 Pharynx = Throat (Latin) Oral to upper air & food

 Musculomembranous tube cavity border of

 Common pathway for air and food Epiglottis

Laryngopharynx Behind Upper Passage of
FEATURES Larynx border of food
Measurements Epiglottis
 Length:12-14 cm long to lower
 Width border of
 Upper part: Widest – 3.5 cm, non-collapsible Cricoid
 Middle part: Narrow cartilage
 Lower end: Narrowest part of GIT
Part Communication Nerve Supply
Boundaries
Nasopharynx  Anteriorly: Nose Pharyngeal
Superiorly Base of the skull, Posterior part of the body
 Below: branches of
of sphenoid and basilar part of Occipital
Oropharynx Pterygopalatine
bone
ganglion
Inferiorly Cricoid cartilage / at the level of 6th cervical
Oropharynx  Anteriorly: Oral Cranial nerves IX
vertebra, with the oesophagus
cavity &X
Posteriorly Glides freely on Prevertebral fascia which
 Above:
separates it from the cervical Vertebral
Nasopharynx
bodies
 Below:
Anteriorly Communicates with nasal cavity, Oral cavity Laryngophary
and Larynx nx
Either side Attachments Laryngophary  Anteriorly: Cranial nerves IX
 Medial pterygoid plate nx Larynx &X
 Pterygomandibular raphe  Above:
 Mandible Oropharynx
 Tongue  Below:
 Hyoid Bone Oesophagus
 Thyroid & Cricoid Cartilages
Communicates with middle ear cavity

Lining
Relations Part Relations
Epithelium
 Styloid process and its muscles attached
Nasopharynx Anterior: Posterior Ciliated
to it
nasal aperture Columnar
 Common Carotid Artery, Internal
Posterior & Roof: Epithelium
Carotid Artery, External Carotid Artery
 Body of
 Cranial nerves related to them
sphenoid
 Basiocciput
PARTS
 Anterior arch of
Part Situation Extent Function Atlas
Nasopharynx Behind Base of Respiratory  Presence of
Nose Skull - Passage of Nasopharyngeal
(body of air tonsil
Sphenoid) (prominent in
to Soft kids)
Palate  Nasopharyngeal
bursa

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 HUMAN ANATOMY 174
Pharynx

Lateral wall: Opening Pterygoi (basilar

of Auditory tube d Plate part of
(tubal tonsil seen)  Pterygoi Occipital
Oropharynx Anterior: Oral cavity Stratified d bone)
Posterior & Roof: 2nd & Squamous hamulus  Pharynge
3 Cervical vertebrae
rd Non-  Pterygo al raphe
(Body) Keratinized mandibul
Lateral wall: Tonsillar Epithelium ar raphe
fossa (Palatine  Posterior
tonsils) end of
Laryngopharynx Anterior: Stratified Mylohyoi
 Inlet of larynx Squamous d line
 Posterior Non- Middle  Lower  Pharynge Pharynge
surface of Keratinized Constrictor part of al al plexus
Cricoid Epithelium Stylohyoi tubercle
cartilage d (basilar
 Arytenoid ligament part of
cartilage  Lesser Occipital
Posterior & Roof: 4th & and bone)
5 Cervical vertebrae
th greater  Pharynge
Lateral wall: Piriform horns of al raphe
fossa (each side of Hyoid
Inlet of larynx), bone
bounded by  Oblique  Pharynge Pharynge
Inferior
Aryepiglottic fold line of al al plexus
Constrictor
medially & thyroid thyroid tubercle
cartilage laterally cartilage (basilar
(Thyroph part of
MUSCLES OF PHARYNX aryngeus Occipital
 Organized into two groups based on the orientation part) bone)
of muscle fibers.  Side of  Pharynge
Inner Longitudinal Cricoid al raphe
Outer Constrictor Muscles
Muscles cartilage
Circular fibers Vertical fibers (Cricoph
Constriction of Pharynx Elevation of Pharynx aryngeus
Make rapid peristaltic wave part)
to propel the bolus INNER LONGITUDINAL MUSCLES
1. Superior Constrictor 1. Stylopharyngeus
Muscle Origin Insertion Nerve
Muscle 2. Salpingopharyngeus
Supply
2. Middle Constrictor 3. Palatopharyngeus
Stylopharyn Medial side Pharyngeal Glossoph
Muscle
geus of base of wall aryngeal
3. Inferior Constrictor
Styloid nerve
Muscle
process
Salpingophar Inferior Pharyngeal Pharynge
OUTER CONSTRICTOR MUSCLES
yngeus aspect of wall al plexus
Nerve
Muscle Origin Insertion pharyngeal
Supply
end of
 Posterior  Pharynge Pharynge
Superior Pharyngoty
border of al al plexus
Constrictor mpanic tube
Medial tubercle

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 HUMAN ANATOMY 175
Pharynx

Palatopharyn Upper Pharyngeal Pharynge Maxillary Foramen

geus surface of wall al plexus artery Lacerum
Palatine 5. Branch
Aponeurosis from
Lingual
artery

STRUCTURES RELATED
Gap between the Muscles
Between base of the Skull
and Superior Constrictor
APPLIED ANATOMY
Killian’s Dehiscence
 A potential triangular gap between the oblique fibers
of Thyropharyngeus and the transverse fibers of
Cricopharyngeus
 It is named after German ENT surgeon – Gustav
Killian
 It is through this gap that the herniation of
pharyngeal mucosa occurs in case of pharyngeal
pouch (Zenker’s Diverticulum)
 It is also called ‘gateway of tears‘ as it is a common site
for perforation during oesophagoscopy
 Synonyms
1. Laimer triangle
Structures Passing 2. Laimer-Haeckermann area
1. Levator Veli Palatini 3. Laimer-Killian triangle
2. Pharyngotympanic tube
3. Ascending palatine artery

Between the Superior and 1. Stylopharyngeus muscle

Middle Constrictor muscles 2. Glossopharyngeal nerve
Between the middle inferior 3. Superior laryngeal
constrictor muscles vessels
4. Internal laryngeal nerve
Below the inferior margin of 5. Recurrent laryngeal nerve
the Inferior Constrictor 6. Inferior laryngeal vessels
muscle

VASCULAR SUPPLY
Arterial Venous Lymphatic
Supply Drainage Drainage
1. Ascending  Pharyngeal  Deep Cervical
Fossa of Rosenmuller
Pharyngeal plexus of Nodes
 Herniation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa through
artery veins  Retropharyngeal
this deficiency between skull base and superior most
2. Ascending  Pharyngeal Nodes
fibers of the Superior Constrictor muscle
Palatine veins into the  Paratracheal
 Through this gap bridged only by the
artery Internal Nodes
pharyngobasilar fascia, the eustachian tube enters
3. Tonsillar Jugular Vein  Infrahyoid
the nasopharynx with its two muscles, one on each
branch of  Plexus nodes
side
Facial communicates
 Along the inferior border of the two muscles the
artery with the
Fossa of Rosenmüller is separated from the
4. Pharyngeal Cavernous
parapharyngeal space by mucosa and
branch of sinus via the
pharyngobasilar fascia

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 HUMAN ANATOMY 176
Pharynx

Sinus of Morgagni PREVIOUS YEARS MCQS

 Gap in the upper margin of the pharyngobasilar
fascia located in the posterolateral part of the 1) The palatoglossal arch is the mucous membrane
nasopharynx extending from the
 Pharyngobasilar fascia – also called pharyngeal A. Anterior fold at the base of the uvula
aponeurosis – is a fibrous layer which lines the B. Posterior fold at the base of the uvula
internal surface of the muscles of the pharynx and is C. Superior fold at the base of the uvula
particularly thick in the upper part – between D. Inferior fold at the base of the uvula
superior constrictor and the skull base
 Structures passing Ans: A. Anterior fold at the base of the uvula
1. Eustachian tube – cartilaginous end Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 223
2. Levator veli palatini muscle
3. Ascending palatine artery 2) The fibres from following muscle contribute to
 Applied Anatomy: It provides a pathway of least passavant’s ridge
resistance for spread of tumors from the A. Palatoglossus
nasopharynx to the lateral skull base B. Palatopharyngeus
C. Tensor veli palatine
PTERYGOMANDIBULAR RAPHE D. Levator veli palatine
(PTERYGOMANDIBULAR LIGAMENT)
 A tendinous band of the buccopharyngeal fascia, Ans: B. Palatopharyngeus
attached by one extremity to the hamulus of the Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 225
medial pterygoid plate, and by the other to the
posterior end of the mylohyoid line of the mandible 3) The pharynx continues with the oesophagus at the
 Medial surface is covered by the mucous membrane following vertebrae
of the mouth A. 4th cervical vertebrae
 Lateral surface is separated from the ramus of the B. 5th cervical vertebrae
mandible by a quantity of adipose tissue C. 6th cervical vertebrae
 Posterior border gives attachment to the Constrictor D. 7th cervical vertebrae
pharyngis superior
 Anterior border gives attachment to part of the Ans: C. 6th cervical vertebrae
Buccinator Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 228

4) Oropharynx extends from

************** A. Base of the skull to soft palate
B. Soft palate to upper border of epiglottis
C. Upper border of epiglottis to lower border of cricoid
cartilage
D. Base of the skull to cricoids cartilage
Ans: B. Soft palate to upper border of epiglottis
Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 228

5) The superior constrictor takes its origin from the

following EXCEPT
A. Pterygoid hamulus
B. Pterygomandibular raphe
C. Side of the posterior part of the tongue
D. Lesser cornua of hyoid bone

Ans: D. Lesser cornua of hyoid bone

Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 233

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 HUMAN ANATOMY 177
Pharynx

6) Sinus of Morgagni is the large gap present in between NEET – MDS PATTERN MCQS
base of the skull and the following muscle PICTURE BASED MCQS
A. Superior constrictor 1. Identify the region marked in the posterior wall of
B. Middle constrictor pharynx:
C. Inferior constrictor
D. Palatopharyngeus

Ans: A. Superior constrictor

Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 234

7) The following are the structures passing through the

sinus of Morgagni, EXCEPT
A. Auditory tube
B. Ascending palatine artery
C. Levator veli palatine
D. Tensor veli palatine

Ans: D. Tensor veli palatine

Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 234

8) The auditory tube opens during

A. It is always open
B. Coughing A. Pharyngeal raphae
C. Sneezing B. Killan’s dehiscence
D. None of the above C. Hyoid bone
D. Oesophagus
Ans: C. Sneezing
Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 237 Ans: B. Killan’s dehiscence
Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 3rd /E, p. 301
9) Which walls of cartilaginous part of auditory tube are
formed by fibrous membrane
A. Lateral wall and floor
B. Medial wall and floor 3. Assertion (A): Passavant’s muscle is best developed in
C. Superior wall and floor cases of cleft palate Reason (R): deficiency of palate is
D. Superior wall and medial wall compensated by the growth of this muscle
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct
Ans: A. Lateral wall and floor explanation of A.
Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6/E, Vol 3, p. 236 B. Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct
explanation of A.
C. A is true but R is false.
D. A is false but R is true

Ans: A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct

explanation of A.
Ref: B.D. Chaurasia, 6th /E, Vol 3, p. 225

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