ANATOMY OF

THE
ADENOID

Zaid Alkhalaf
ENT - SHO
 Anatomy of the Tonsil and Adenoid

▸ Overview
• Function
• Groups of Tonsils

▸ Anatomical Landmarks
▸ Neurovascular Supply

2
 Pharynx
3 sections:

 Upper: Nasopharynx - inlet to

nasal cavity
 Middle: Oropharynx - related to
oral cavity
 Lower: Laryngopharynx

3
Pharyngeal Tonsil
(Adenoid)

4
Nasopharynx
 Adenoid
It is a single mass of pyramidal tissue - with its base on the
posterior Nasopharynx and Apex pointed toward the nasal
septum.

The epithelium is thrown into folds.

The epithelium is pseudostratified ciliated columnar

epithelium and is infiltrated by the lymphoid follicles.

It has no crypts and no capsule.

6
Location of Adenoid
It is located in the midline mass of MALT
situated in the posterior wall of the
nasopharynx.
It forms the superior aspect of Waldeyer’s
ring.
The Adenoid screens the air that enters your nostril

8
 Clinical anatomy

- Obstructive Sleep Apnea – Nasal Obstructin

- Otitis Media – Eustachian Tube Obstruction

9
 Neurovascular supply
Blood supply :

 Fascial A.: Ascending Platine Artery: Facial Artery

 Ascending pharyngeal Artery: ECA
 3rd part of Maxillary A.: Pharyngeal Artery
 Artery of the pterygoid canal
 Basisphenoid artery: Inferior hypophyseal arteries
(ICA)

10
 Neurovascular supply
 Venous drainage is via numerous small veins that
pierce the superior constrictor muscle to empty into
the pharyngeal plexus.

 The pharyngeal tonsil receives nerve fibers from

the vagus (X) and glossopharyngeal (IX) cranial
nerves.

 Lymphatic drainage is into the Upper Jugular

directly and/ or indirectly via the retropharyngeal
and the pharyngomaxillary nodes.
11
Clinical Correlation

12
THANKS!

13
 References
1. Frank H.Netter MD: Atlas of Human Anatomy, 5th Edition, Elsevier Saunders.
2. Chummy S.Sinnatamby: Last’s Anatomy Regional and Applied, 12th Edition, Churchill
Livingstone Elsevier.
3. Richard L. Drake, A. Wayne Vogl, Adam. W.M. Mitchell: Gray’s Anatomy for Students,
2nd Edition, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.
4. Viswanatha B, DO, MBBS, PhD, MS, FACS: Tonsil and Adenoid Anatomy. WebMD
LLC (accessed 17/01/2016).
5. ENTSHO.com
6. Wang, J., Chen, J., Hu, B. et al. A novel classification and grading scale of palatine tonsil
anatomy in children. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 279, 5921–5928 (2022).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07515-3