Objectives:

By the end of this lecture we are going to be

able to:
Describe the anatomical structure and
features of the nose
Identify the bones forming the nasal cavity
Recognize arterial supply, and venous
drainage of the nose
Identify different Para nasal sinuses and their
functions

Nasal Cavity
- The cavity of the nose is subdivided into
right and left halves by the nasal septum.
- The two halves open anteriorly on the face
through the nostrils (anterior nares), and
open posteriorly into the nasopharynx
through the posterior nasal aperture.

Bony skeleton of the nose

I. Roof, formed by:
- Anterior part------ Nasal part of the
frontal bone + Nasal bone.
- Middle part ------ Cribriform plate of
the ethmoid bone.
- Posterior part------Body of the
sphenoid bone.
I. Floor, formed by:
- Anteriorly: Palatine process of the
maxilla.
- Posteriorly : Horizontal plates of the
palatine bone.
III. Medial wall (nasal septum),
formed by:
- Postero-inferior-------Vomer.
- Superiorly ----- Perpendicular plate of
the ethmoid bone.
- Antero-inferior -----Septal cartilage.

(Roof, floor, and

medial wall of the
nose)

Lateral wall of the

nose
- The lateral wall of the nose is
subdivided into three areas which
are:
A. Vestibule
B.Nasal conchae and meatuses:
1. Conchae
- They are bony plates covered with
mucous membrane.
- They are three (superior, middle, and
inferior nasal conchae).
2. Meatuses
- They are depressions below and
lateral to each concha (superior,
middle, and
inferior meatuses).
-Superior meatus : It receives the
opening of posterior ethmoidal air
sinus.

Lateral wall of the nose

b. Middle meatus : It has

* Bulla ethmoidalis:
- It is a rounded elevation where
the middle ethmoidal air sinus
opens in it.
* Hiatus semilunaris:
- It is a crescenteric groove () lying
below the bulla ethmoidalis.
- It receives the following openings:
i. Anterior ethmoial air sinus.
ii. Frontal air sinus.
iii. Maxillary air sinus.
c. Inferior meatus (below the
inferior nasal concha):
- It receives the nasolacrimal duct.
d. Spheno-ethmoidal recess:
- It is a triangular fossa between the
superior concha and the roof of
the nose.
- It receives the opening of the
sphenoidal air sinus.

Arterial supply of the

nose
1. Sphenopalatine artery
- It is a branch from the maxillary artery
(main arterial supply).
2. Septal branch of the superior

labial artery from facial artery.

3. Ascending branch of the greater
palatine artery from the maxillary
artery .
- There is anastomoses between the
above three arteries to form
Kieselbach's plexus on the anteroinferior part of the nasal septum

(Littles area).
- This area is a common site for
epistaxis (bleeding from the nose).
4. Anterior and posterior ethmoidal
branches of the ophthalmic
artery. supply the roof and upper parts
of the lateral wall and septum.

Sphenopalatine Ganglion
Type: Parasympathetic
ganglion.
Site: In the pterygopalatine
fossa.
Roots (preganglionic fibers):
1. Sensory: From the maxillary
nerve.
2. Sympathetic supply: Deep
petrosal nerve which arises
from the sympathetic plexus
around the internal carotid
artery.
3. Parasympathetic: Greater
petrosal nerve (from facial N)

Sphenopalatine Ganglion
(branches)
1. Postganglionic secretomotor fibers which supply
the lacrimal gland.
2. Lesser palatine nerves.
3. Greater palatine nerve .
- It gives the lateral
posterior inferior nasal
nerves.
4. Lateral and medial
posterior superior nasal
nerves.
5. Nasopalatine nerve.
( long sphenopalatine)
6. Pharyngeal branch to the
pharynx.
7. Branches to the orbital
periosteum.

NB: The postganglionic branches

of the sphenopalatine ganglion
supply the mucous glands of the
palate, nose, nasopharynx and
the lacrimal gland.

Nerve supply of the

nose
I. Lateral wall
- Olfactory area (1 cm) Olfactory nerves.
(this area includes the roof and upper parts of the septum and lateral nasal walls)
- Vestibular area Infraorbital nerve.
- Respiratory area of the lateral wall:
a. Antero-superior anterior ethmoidal N.
b. Antero-inferior (inf. concha) Internal nasal nerve(from anterior ethmoidal N)
c. Postero-superior Lateral posterior superior nasal brs.
d. Postero-inferior Lateral posterior inferior nasal brs (from greater palatine N).

II. Nasal septum

- Olfactory area Olfactory N.
- Anterior part Internal nasal N. (from the anterior ethmoidal nerve).
- Postero-superior part Medial posterior superior nasal branches. (from
sphenopalatine ganglion).
- Postero-inferior part Nasopalatine nerve.
( long sphenopalatine nerve).
N.B: The nasopalatine nerve, greater and lesser palatine nerves, medial
and lateral posterior superior nasal nerves, and the posterior inferior
nasal nerve are branches from the sphenopalatine ganglion.

Para-nasal Air Sinuses

Definition:
- They are air-filled spaces in certain bones
which form the boundary of the nasal
cavity.
- They open into the lateral wall of the nose.
Functions:
1. Warming and humidifying the inspired
air.
2. Diminishing the weight of the skull.
3. They add resonance to the voice.

Types:
1. Maxillary sinus -------- Inside
the body of the maxilla.
2. Frontal sinus ----------Between the two plates of the
frontal bone.
3. Sphenoid ---------------- Inside
the body of the sphenoid bone.
4. Ethmoid ----------------- Inside
the lateral part of the ethmoid
bone
- All the sinuses are present at
birth except the frontal sinus
which appears during the
second year.

Prof.: Dr. Wafaa AbdelRahman