The salpingopharyngeus is a thin muscle arising from the inferior Eustachian tube cartilage at the tubal torus in the posterior nasopharynx and blending with the palatopharyngeus in the pharyngeal wall. It is the smallest of the pharyngeal muscles and is present in approximately 70% of individuals. It forms the salpingopharyngeal fold — a mucosal ridge visible on endoscopy from the tubal torus downward.
| Origin | Inferior part of the cartilaginous Eustachian tube at the tubal torus in the nasopharynx |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Posterior pharyngeal wall and palatopharyngeus, blending with its fibres |
| Nerve Supply | Vagus nerve (CN X) via the pharyngeal plexus |
| Blood Supply | Ascending pharyngeal artery |
| Actions | Elevates the lateral pharyngeal wall during swallowing; assists in opening the Eustachian tube during swallowing by pulling its inferior wall inferiorly |
|---|
The salpingopharyngeal fold (containing the salpingopharyngeus) is the endoscopic landmark adjacent to the Eustachian tube opening (torus tubarius) and the pharyngeal recess (fossa of Rosenmuller). The fold is used to orient the nasopharyngoscopist relative to the Eustachian tube orifice. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) most commonly arises in the fossa of Rosenmuller immediately posterior to this fold. In palatal cleft repair, the salpingopharyngeus may contribute to Eustachian tube opening mechanics.
The salpingopharyngeal fold running from the tubal torus marks the anterior boundary of the fossa of Rosenmuller, the primary site of nasopharyngeal carcinoma; nasopharyngoscopy systematically examines both fossae by looking lateral to each salpingopharyngeal fold, and biopsies are taken from suspicious mucosa at the fold margin.
