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Questions and Answers
What separates the two cavities of the nasal cavity?
What separates the two cavities of the nasal cavity?
What is the largest of the paranasal sinuses?
What is the largest of the paranasal sinuses?
Which region of the nasal cavity is responsible for the sense of smell?
Which region of the nasal cavity is responsible for the sense of smell?
What is the drainage pathway for the frontal sinuses?
What is the drainage pathway for the frontal sinuses?
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What innervates the maxillary sinus?
What innervates the maxillary sinus?
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Where do the sphenoid sinuses open into the nasal cavity?
Where do the sphenoid sinuses open into the nasal cavity?
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Which paranasal sinuses drain into the Hiatus Semilunaris?
Which paranasal sinuses drain into the Hiatus Semilunaris?
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Which artery supplies blood to the frontal sinus?
Which artery supplies blood to the frontal sinus?
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What disease risk is associated with the drainage pathways of the maxillary sinus?
What disease risk is associated with the drainage pathways of the maxillary sinus?
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How many ethmoid sinuses are there?
How many ethmoid sinuses are there?
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Study Notes
Nasal Cavity Structure
- The nasal cavity is divided into two halves by the nasal septum, a structure of bone and cartilage.
- Each half has a roof, floor, medial wall, and lateral wall.
- Within each half are three regions: the nasal vestibule, respiratory region, and olfactory region.
Paranasal Sinuses
- Four paranasal sinuses: maxillary, frontal, sphenoid, and ethmoid.
- These are air-filled extensions of the nasal cavity, named after the bone they reside in.
Maxillary Sinus
- Largest sinus, located laterally and slightly inferior to the nasal cavity.
- Drains into the nasal cavity beneath the frontal sinus opening, via the hiatus semilunaris.
- A potential pathway for infection spread.
- Innervation: alveolar nerves and infraorbital nerve.
- Blood supply: alveolar arteries, infraorbital, and greater palatine arteries.
- Inflammation can cause toothache.
Frontal Sinus
- Two frontal sinuses within the frontal bone, superior to other sinuses.
- Roughly triangular shape.
- Drains via the frontonasal duct into the middle meatus.
- Innervation: supraorbital nerve (branch of ophthalmic).
- Blood supply: anterior ethmoid artery (branch of internal carotid).
Sphenoid Sinus
- Located within the sphenoid bone.
- Opens into the sphenoid-ethmoidal recess, a superior/posterior area in the nasal cavity above the superior concha.
- Innervation: posterior ethmoidal nerve (branch of ophthalmic), and branches of maxillary nerve.
- Blood supply: pharyngeal branches of the maxillary arteries.
Ethmoid Sinus
- Three ethmoid sinuses within the ethmoid bone.
- Anterior ethmoid sinus: opens into the hiatus semilunaris.
- Middle ethmoid sinus: opens into the lateral wall of the middle meatus.
- Posterior ethmoid sinus: opens into the lateral wall of the superior meatus.
- Innervation: anterior and posterior ethmoid branches of nasociliary nerve, and maxillary nerve.
- Blood supply: anterior and posterior ethmoid arteries.
Clinical Significance
- Sinuses lighten the skull.
- Support immunity within the nasal cavity via immune cells.
- Humidify inspired air.
- Increase voice resonance.
- Sinus infections (sinusitis) can result from spread of upper respiratory infections.
- Positioning of the patient and aerosol use may be necessary if breathing is difficult.
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Description
This quiz covers the anatomy of the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses, including their structures and functions. Explore the distinctions between the maxillary and frontal sinuses and their roles in health and disease. Test your knowledge on the intricate details of sinus anatomy.
