The nasal meatuses are the air passages beneath and beside each nasal concha on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity. There are superior, middle and inferior meatuses, plus a common meatus next to the septum. The paranasal sinuses and the nasolacrimal duct open into them.
| Location | Lateral wall of each nasal cavity, under the cover of the superior, middle and inferior conchae; the sphenoethmoidal recess lies above the superior concha. |
|---|---|
| Parts |
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| Nerve Supply | Posterior lateral nasal branches (maxillary division of trigeminal, via pterygopalatine ganglion); Anterior ethmoidal nerve (ophthalmic division of trigeminal) |
| Blood Supply | Sphenopalatine artery (posterior lateral nasal branches); Anterior and posterior ethmoidal arteries |
| Venous drainage |
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| Lymphatic drainage |
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Channel and warm inspired air across a large mucosal surface and provide drainage routes for mucus from the sinuses and tears from the eye.
The middle meatus contains the ostiomeatal complex, the shared drainage pathway for the frontal, maxillary and anterior ethmoidal sinuses, so swelling here is central to chronic sinusitis and is the main target of endoscopic sinus surgery. Watering of the eye can result from blockage of the nasolacrimal duct opening in the inferior meatus.
Blockage of the middle meatus drainage pathway by swollen mucosa, polyps or anatomical variants. It leads to recurrent or chronic sinusitis.
Benign, soft outgrowths of inflamed mucosa, usually arising from the middle meatus and ethmoid region. They cause blockage and reduced sense of smell.
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