The pharynx is a funnel-shaped muscular tube about 12-14 cm long that runs from the base of the skull to the level of C6, behind the nose, mouth and larynx. It is shared by the airway and food passage and is divided into nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx.
| Location | Behind the nasal cavity, oral cavity and larynx, in front of the cervical vertebrae, from the skull base to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Pharyngeal plexus (glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves); Maxillary nerve (nasopharynx sensation) |
| Blood Supply | Ascending pharyngeal artery; Ascending palatine and tonsillar branches of the facial artery; Branches of the maxillary and lingual arteries; Inferior thyroid artery |
| Venous drainage |
|
| Lymphatic drainage |
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Conducts air to the larynx and food to the oesophagus, coordinates swallowing, and acts as a resonating chamber for the voice.
Coordination failure after stroke causes dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia. The pharynx collapses during sleep in obstructive sleep apnoea. Throat infections, head and neck cancers, and pharyngeal pouches arising between the constrictor muscles are common problems here.
Inflammation of the pharynx, usually viral, causing sore throat.
Repeated collapse of the pharyngeal airway during sleep.
Outpouching of the lower pharynx through a weak area, causing regurgitation and swallowing difficulty.
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