Nose Anatomy Main
Description
Name
- Nose
- Human Nose
- Nasal Cavity
General
- First organ of the respiratory system and principle organ of the olfactory system
- Shaped by nasal bones and cartilage, including a nasal septum, which separates the nostrils dividing the nose in two
Function
- Warms and humidifies the inspired air
- Removes and traps pathogens and particulate matter from the inspired air
- Responsible for sense of smell
- Drains and clears the paranasal sinuses and lacrimal ducts
Divisions
- Extends from the vestibule of the nose to the nasopharynx
- Vestibule: area surrounding the anterior external opening to the nasal cavity
- Respiratory: lined by a ciliated psudeostratified epithelium, interspersed with mucus-secreting goblet cells
- Olfactory: located at the apex of the nasal cavity, lined by olfactory cells with olfactory receptors
Nasal Conchae
- Also called turbinates
- Project out of the lateral walls, creating four pathways for the air to flow
- There are 3 conchae: inferior, middle, superior
- Pathways are called meatus: inferior, middle, superior, sphenoethmoidal
- Function: increase surface area of the nasal cavity
Openings into the Nasal Cavity
- Paranasal sinuses drain into the nasal cavity (frontal, maxillary and anterior ethmoidal)
- Middle ethmoidal sinus drains into the ethmoidal bulla
- Sphenoid sinus drains into the posterior roof
- Nasolacrimal duct: drain tears from the eye, opens into the inferior meatus
- Auditory (Eustachian) tube: opens into the nasopharynx at the level of the inferior meatus
Gateways to the Nasal Cavity
- Cribriform plate allows olfactory nerve to enter/exit
- Sphenopalatine foramen allows sphenopalatine artery, nasopalatine and superior nasal nerves to pass
- Incisive canal transmits nasopalatine nerve, greater palantine artery to oral cavity
Vasculature
- Nose has rich vasculature supply; allows it to monitor/change humidity and temperature of inspired air
- Internal carotid: anterior and posterior ethmoidal arteries (off the ophthalmic artery)
- External carotid: sphenopalatine, greater palatine, superior labial, lateral nasal arteries
- Kesselbechs plexus: anastomosis of multiple vessels in the anterior nose prone to bleeding
Innervation
- Can be divided into special and general
- Special: ability to smell carried out by olfactory nerves
- General sensory comes from nasopalatine and nasociliary nerves
- Sensation of the external skin comes from the trigeminal nerve
Clinical Significance
- Epistaxis
- Cribriform Plate Fracture
See Also
References
- ↑ Inthavong, Kiao. Simulation of fluid dynamics and particle transport in a realistic human nasal cavity. Diss. RMIT University, 2008.
- ↑ Chung, Steve, et al. "The nose has it: Opportunities and challenges for intranasal drug administration for neurologic conditions including seizure clusters." Epilepsy & behavior reports 21 (2023): 100581.
- ↑ Sakarya, Engin Umut, Murat Kar, and Sameer Ali Bafaqeeh. "Surgical anatomy of the external and internal nose." All Around the Nose: Basic Science, Diseases and Surgical Management (2020): 39-47.