Nasal cavity

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  • Created by: saoirselb
  • Created on: 06-11-19 11:11
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  • Nasal cavity
    • Divisions
      • Vestibule
        • area surrounding anterior external opening to nasal cavity
      • Respiratory region
        • lined by ciliated pseudostratified epithelium, interspersed with mucus secreting goblet cells
      • Olfactory region
        • located at apex of nasal cavity
        • lined by olfactory cells with olfactory receptors
    • Nasal conchae
      • curved shelves of bone projecting out the lateral walls of the nasal cavity
      • Create 4 meatuses - pathways for the air to flow
        • Inferior meatus: between inferior concha and floor of nasal cavity
        • Middle meatus: between inferior and middle concha
        • Superior meatus: between middle and superior concha
        • Sphemo-ethmodial recess: superiorly and posteriorly to the superior meatus
      • 3 conchae: inferior, middle and superior
      • Function
        • Increases surface area of nasal cavity
          • increases amount of inspired air that can come into contact with cavity walls
        • Disrupts fast, laminar flow of air
          • Makes air flow slow and turbulent - air spends longer in cavity so it can be humidified
    • Openings into cavity
      • Paranasal sinuses
        • Drain into the nasal cavity
        • Frontal, maxillary and ethmoidal sinuses open into the middle meatus
          • Location marked by semi-lunar hiatus on walls of nasal cavity
        • Middle ethmoidal sinuses empty into ethmoidal bulla
          • Ethmoidal bulla: bulge in lateral wall formed by middle ethmoidal sinus
        • Sphenoid sinus doesn't empty onto lateral walls - drains onto posterior roof
      • Nasolacrimal duct
        • Drains tears from eyes, opens into inferior meatus
      • Auditory (Eustachian) tube
        • Opens into nasopharynx at level of the inferior meatus
        • Allows middle ear to equalise with atmospheric pressure (popping ears after flying)
    • Gateways to the nasal cavity
      • Cribriform plate
        • Part of ethmoid bone
        • Forms portion of the roof of the nasal cavity
        • contains small perforations to allow fibres of olfactory nerve to enter and exit
      • Sphenopalatine foramen
        • At level of superior meatus
        • Allows communicaton between the nasal cavity and pterygopalatine fossa
        • Sphenopalatine artery, nasopalatine and superior nasal nerves pass through
      • Incisive canal
        • pathway between nasal cavity and incisive fossa of oral cavity
        • transmits the nasopalatine nerve and greater palatine artery
    • Innervation
      • Special sensory innervation
        • refers to ability to smell
        • Carried out by olfactory nerves
        • Olfactory bulb (part of brain) lies on top of cribiform plate above nasal cavity
          • Branches of the olfactory nerve run through the cribiform plate to provide special sensory innervation to nose
      • General sensory innervation
        • Innervation to septum and lateral walls
        • Delivered by nasopalatine nerve (branch of maxillary) and nasociliary nerve (branch of opthalmic)
        • Innervation to external skin of nose is supplied by trigeminal nerve

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