--- title: "Nasopharynx Anatomy" description: "A guide to the Anatomy of Nasopharynx for medical students and ENT residents." source: "The ENT Resident" canonical_url: "https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/nasopharynx-anatomy" categories: ["Pharynx"] video: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEU3KGUMohg" image: "https://media.theentresident.com/og-images/nasopharynx-anatomy.png" --- # Nasopharynx Anatomy A guide to the Anatomy of Nasopharynx for medical students and ENT residents. Watch the full video lecture on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEU3KGUMohg ## 🌬️ What is the Nasopharynx? The nasopharynx is the **uppermost part of the pharynx**, also known as the **epipharynx**. ### 📍 Location of Nasopharynx: - Posterior to the nasal cavities. - Above the level of the soft palate. - **Extent**: From the base of the skull (basal occiput and basal sphenoid) to the horizontal plane passing through the hard palate. --- ### 🔲 Boundaries of the Nasopharynx The nasopharynx has the following boundaries: **1. Roof** - Formed by the **basiocciput** and **basisphenoid**. - Roof slopes backward and continues into the posterior wall. - **Nasopharyngeal tonsil (adenoids)** lies at the junction of the roof and posterior wall. **2. Posterior Wall** - Formed by the **Arch of the atlas vertebra (C1)**. - Covered by **prevertebral muscles and fascia**. - Extends to the junction of the hard and soft palate. **3. Floor** - Anteriorly formed by the **soft palate**. - Posteriorly deficient, forming the **Nasopharyngeal Isthmus**, which connects the nasopharynx to the oropharynx. > What are the boundaries of **Nasopharyngeal Isthmus**? **🔸 Passavant’s Ridge:** - A **U-shaped mucosal ridge** formed by fibers of the **Palatopharyngeus muscle**. >What is the importance of **Passavant's ridge**? **4. Anterior Wall** - Formed by the **posterior nasal apertures (choanae)**. - Structures projecting into the choanae: - Posterior ends of the **inferior and middle conchae**. - Communication with the nasal cavity occurs here. **5. Lateral Wall** - Contains several important structures: - **Pharyngeal opening of the Eustachian tube** >What is the distance of the pharyngeal opening of Eustachian tube from the posterior end of Inferior Turbinate? - **Torus tubarius** - Cartilaginous elevation around the Eustachian tube opening. - Site of the **tubal tonsil** (part of Waldeyer's ring). - **Fossa of Rosenmüller** - Recess above and behind the torus tubarius. >What are the boundaries of **Fossa of Rosenmuller**? >Which tumor is commonly seen arising from **Fossa of Rosenmuller**? - **Salpingopharyngeal Fold** - Mucosal fold covering the **salpingopharyngeus muscle** extending downward from the torus tubarius. --- ### 🏷️ Other Important Structures in the Nasopharynx - **Rathke's Pouch** - Remnant structure seen as a dimple above the adenoids. >Which tumor arises from rathke's pouch? - **Nasopharyngeal Tonsil (Adenoids)** - Subepithelial lymphoid tissue at the junction of roof and posterior wall. - Enlarges till about 6 years of age, then involutes. - **Nasopharyngeal Bursa** - Median epithelial-lined recess within the adenoids. - May lead to **persistent postnasal discharge** or **Thornwaldt's cyst** if infected. - **Tubal Tonsils** - Located at the **torus tubarius**. - Enlargement can **obstruct the Eustachian tube**, affecting middle ear ventilation. --- ### 🩸 Lymphatic Drainage of Nasopharynx Drains into: - **Upper deep cervical lymph nodes** (directly or via Retropharyngeal/ Parapharyngeal nodes) - **Spinal accessory chain of lymph nodes** - Can cross the midline to the **contralateral lymph nodes** --- ### 🧬 Epithelial Lining of the Nasopharynx - **Anteriorly**: Lined by **ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium** (respiratory type). - **Posteriorly**: Lined by **non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium**. - **Transitional Zone**: Area where these two types of epithelium meet. --- ### 🧠 Nerve Supply of Nasopharynx - **Pharyngeal branch of the Maxillary nerve (V2)** via the pharyngotympanic (Eustachian) tube - **Pharyngeal branch of the Pterygopalatine ganglion**, passing through the palatovaginal canal --- ### 🗣️ Functions of Nasopharynx - Air Conduction - Middle Ear Ventilation - Closure during Swallowing - Voice Resonance - Mucus Drainage --- ## About This Note This note on Nasopharynx Anatomy is one of the free ENT study notes published by The ENT Resident. 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Other contact options are on the contact page: https://www.theentresident.com/contact.md ## Related ENT Notes & Lectures #### Pharynx - [Adenoid Facies](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/adenoid-facies.md) - [Anatomy of Pharynx - Introduction](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/anatomy-of-pharynx-introduction.md) - [Anatomy of Tonsil - Parts, Functions, Blood Supply, Nerve Supply, Applied Anatomy](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/tonsil-anatomy-function-parts.md) - [Blood Supply of Tonsil - Easy Mnemonic](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/tonsil-blood-supply-mnemonic.md) - [Brodsky Grading of Tonsillar Enlargement](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/brodsky-grading-tonsils.md) - [Drainage of Pharynx](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/drainage-of-pharynx.md) - [JNA Signs Explained | Holman Miller Sign, Chopstick Sign, Hondousa Sign, Ram Haran Sign](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/jna-holman-miller-chopsticks-hondousa-ramharan-sign.md) - [Laryngopharynx Anatomy](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/laryngopharynx-anatomy.md) - [Layers of Pharynx](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/layers-of-pharynx.md) - [Muscles of Pharynx](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/muscles-of-pharynx.md) - [Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma - Causes, Symptoms, Spread](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/nasopharyngeal-carcinoma-causes-symptoms-spread.md) - [Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma - Staging, Investigations, Treatment](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/nasopharyngeal-carcinoma-staging-treatment.md) - [Oropharynx Anatomy](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/oropharynx-anatomy.md) - [Post Tonsillectomy Hemorrhage - Primary, Reactionary and Secondary Hemorrhage](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/post-tonsillectomy-hemorrhage-reactionary-secondary.md) - [Tonsillar Bed Structures](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/tonsillar-bed.md) - [Tonsillectomy Part 1 - Definition, Indications and Contraindications](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/tonsillectomy-indications-definition-contraindications.md) - [Tonsillectomy Part 2 - Tonsillectomy Techniques - Hot & Cold Methods](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/tonsillectomy-techniques-methods.md) - [Tonsillectomy Part 3 - Hot Tonsillectomy vs Interval Tonsillectomy](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/tonsillectomy-types-hot-interval.md) - [Tonsillectomy Part 4 - Procedure & Post operative care](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/tonsillectomy-procedure-postop-care.md) - [Tonsillectomy Part 5 - Complications of Tonsillectomy](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/tonsillectomy-complications.md) - [Vallecula - Anatomy, Boundaries, Nerve Supply & Clinical Significance](https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/vallecula.md) --- Complete index of all pages on this site, with descriptions and markdown links: https://www.theentresident.com/llms.txt