The pharyngeal cavity is the musculofascial tube extending from the skull base to the oesophageal inlet (C6 level), divided into three regions: nasopharynx (above the soft palate; receives Eustachian tubes and adenoids), oropharynx (between soft palate and epiglottis; bounded by tonsillar pillars, posterior pharyngeal wall, and soft palate), and hypopharynx (from epiglottis to cricopharyngeus; including the pyriform fossae and posterior pharyngeal wall).
| Location | Behind the nasal cavity, mouth and larynx, from the skull base to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage at C6 |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Pharyngeal plexus (glossopharyngeal sensory, vagus motor); Maxillary nerve (nasopharynx sensation) |
| Blood Supply | Ascending pharyngeal artery; Tonsillar and ascending palatine branches of the facial artery; Pharyngeal branches of the maxillary artery; Branches of the superior and inferior thyroid arteries |
| Venous drainage |
|
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Shared passage for air and food. Its muscles propel food into the oesophagus while the soft palate and larynx seal off the nose and airway during swallowing.
The pharyngeal cavity is divided into these regions for tumour staging as the prognosis and treatment differ significantly between subsites. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) arises in the fossa of Rosenmuller and presents with ipsilateral neck nodes, otitis media from Eustachian tube blockage, and CN VI palsy from skull base involvement. Oropharyngeal SCC is increasingly HPV-driven with a distinct biology and better prognosis. Hypopharyngeal SCC carries the worst prognosis due to late presentation and submucosal spread. Endoscopic assessment of all three regions is required for complete pharyngeal evaluation.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the fossa of Rosenmuller invades the nasopharyngeal wall and extends superiorly to the skull base (cavernous sinus, clivus) and laterally into the parapharyngeal space; endoscopic biopsy confirms the diagnosis and MRI stages the local extent for planning primary chemoradiotherapy with curative intent.
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