The Upper Airway (Chapter 1) PDF

# The Upper Airway ## What does the upper airway consist of? - Nose - Oral Cavity - Pharynx - Larynx ## What is the function of the upper airway? - Conductor for air - Humidify cool air - Prevent foreign materials - Involved in speech and smell. ## The Nose - The nose filters and humidifies air...

# The Upper Airway ## What does the upper airway consist of? - Nose - Oral Cavity - Pharynx - Larynx ## What is the function of the upper airway? - Conductor for air - Humidify cool air - Prevent foreign materials - Involved in speech and smell. ## The Nose - The nose filters and humidifies air - Cooled air that comes: - Sense of smell ## The Nose: Outer Portion - Cartilage - Bone ## The Nose: Upper Part of the Nose Bridge - Nasal bones - Frontal process of the maxilla ## The Nose: Lower Part of the Nose - Lateral nasal cartilage - Greater alar cartilage - Lesser alar cartilage - Septal cartilage - Fibrous fatty tissue ## The Nose: Internal Portion - The **posteriorly** the nasal septum it separates the nasal cavity into 2 equal parts. - Formed by the **perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone and the vomer**. - **Anteriorly** the nasal septum is formed by **septal cartilage** - The **roof** of the nasal cavity is formed by: - Nasal bones - The frontal process of the maxilla - Cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone - The floor is formed by: Palatine process of the maxilla and palatine bones. - The posterior section of the nasal cavity floor formed by the superior portion of the soft palate of the oral cavity. (Collagen) - Air enters through the: - Septal cartilage and alee nasi - Called nares or nostrils ## The Oral Cavity - Consist of a vestibule which is an outer portion between the teeth and gums and lips. - A larger section behind the teeth and gums that extend to the oropharynx. - The tongue is located on the floor of the oral cavity. - Composed of: - Skeletal muscles, fibers - *Intrinsic* Skeletal muscle fibers: - Change in shape - Speech and swallowing - *Extrinsic* Skeletal muscle fibers: - Allow change in position - (protrude outwards, in) (side to side) - Lingual frenulum: Secures the tongue on the floor of the mouth. - Papillae: where taste buds are found. - The roof of the mouth is formed by a hard plate and soft plate. - **Hard plate** formed by the: - Palatine process of the maxilla - Palatine bones - **Soft plate** is a flexible mass + fleshy structure of densely packed collagen fibers - Closes off the opening between the nasal and oropharynx. - Elevated soft palate caused by: Levator veli palatini muscle - The soft palate is drawn forward and down by: Palatopharyngeal muscles. - Oral cavity is lined with: - Stratified squamous epithelium. - Palatine arches: - Palatopharyngeal arch - Palatoglossal arch. - Palatine tonsil on each side of the oral cavity. - Between the palatine arches. ## The Pharynx - Inhaled air passes from the nasal cavity to the pharynx. - The pharynx is divided into 3 parts. - **Nasopharynx** - posterior to the nasal cavity, superior to the soft palate. - Contains the adenoid (pharyngeal tonsil) posterior to the nasopharynx - **Oropharynx**- between the soft palate, superior to the base of the tongue, inferiorly to the level of the hyoid bone. - Contains the palatine tonsils, large oval shaped each side of the oral cavity and the entrance of the esophagus. - Contains the vallecula epiglottica, between the glossoepiglottic folds. - **Laryngopharynx** (hypo) - between the base of the tongue, inferiorly to the level of the hyoid bone - Contains the aryepiglottic folds (mucous membrane folds). ## The Larynx - The voice box: between the base of the tongue and the trachea. - Creates a passageway of air from pharynx to trachea. - Provides protection. - Generates sound. - Contains 9 cartilages: - **Single** - Thyroid - Cricoid - Epiglottis - **Paired** - Arytenoid, corniculate and cuneiform. - Held together by ligaments and intrinsic and extrinsic muscles. - **The epiglottis** is spoon shaped. It covers the entrance of the larynx. - Prevents food aspiration. - Connected to the base of the tongue - Vallecula. - **Pressure over the cricoid** is narrow in adults. - Arytenoid + corniculate + cuneiform help movement of vocal cords. - The epiglottis prevents aspiration. - **Membranes** - **Thyrohyoid**: Roof - narrowest part. - **Cricothyroid**: Floor of the larynx - **Focal Folds** formed by mucous - True - False