The pharynx is a muscular tube located behind the nose, mouth, and larynx. It is divided into three parts: the nasopharynx behind the nose, the oropharynx in the middle, and the hypopharynx behind the larynx. The pharynx has rigid walls and connects the nasal, oral, and laryngeal cavities. It is lined with squamous epithelium and contains three constrictor muscles between fascial layers. Blood supply comes from branches of the external carotid artery and veins drain into the retropharyngeal and deep cervical nodes. The pharynx is innervated by the pharyngeal plexus formed from the vagus, glossopharyngeal,

1. “PHARYNX ANATOMY AND
PHYSIOLOGY”
Dr. Shraddha Joshi
Ph.D. 1st year
Shalakya Tantra
Dept.
ITRA
Jamnagar

2.  Muscular tube.
 Situated behind Nose, Mouth and Larynx.
 Nasopharynx- Situated behind nose and above lower border of
soft palate.
 Oropharynx- Middle part of pharynx.
 Hypopharynx- behind larynx from upper part of the epiglottis
to lower border of cricoid cartilage.
Pharynx

5. Naso-
Pharynx
 Situated behind the nose and above the soft palate.
 Bony landmark is Hard palate- at C1 level.
 Rigid wall- Pharyngobasilar fascia and posterior median
pharyngeal ligament.
 Anteriorly- Communicates with conchae.
 Inferiorly- Communicates with oropharynx at pharyngeal
isthmus.
 Nasopharyngeal Isthmus- Passavant’s muscle. (Lower border
of Soft palate & posterior wall of pharynx.

6.  Lateral wall:
• Pharyngeal opening of the eustachian tube.
• Tubal elevation bounds the tubal opening.
• Salpingopharyngeal fold.
• Leveator palatani.
• Fossa of Rosenmuller.
 Roof and Posterior wall:
• Continuous slope, opposite the posterior part of body of
sphenoid, basiocciput and anterior arch of atlas.
• Adenoids- In the roof and the posterior wall of lymphoid
tissue.

9. Oro-Pharynx
 Situated behind oral cavity
 Extend from the level of the soft palate to the level of the
hyoid bone.
 Superiorly- communicates to the nasopharynx through the
pharyngeal isthmus.
 Anteriorly- It communicates with the oral cavity
 Posteriorly- opposite to C2 and C3.
 Lateral wall- Palatine tonsils and anterior & posterior pillars.
 Inferior border- Hyoid bone.

11. Hypo-
Pharynx
 Also known as Laryngopharynx.
 Situated behind the larynx.
 Extends from upper border of epiglottis/ level of hyoid bone to
the lower border of cricoid cartilage.
 Anterior wall-
• Inlet of larynx.
• Posterior surface of cricoid and arytenoid cartilages.
 Posterior wall-
• 4th and 5th cervical vertebrae.

12.  Lateral wall-
• Pyriform fossa, one on
each side of the inlet of
the larynx.

13. Pharyngeal wall
1. Mucosa- Lined by squamous epithelium except the
nasopharyx (Nasopharynx- ciliated columnar epithelium)
2. Submucosa
3. Pharyngobasilar fascia-
• Fibrous sheet deep to the pharyngeal muscle.
• Fills the gap between upper border of superior constrictor and
base of skull.

14. 4. Muscular coat-
• Consist of outer circular layer made of 3 constrictors.
• Inner longitudinal layer made up of Stylopharyngeus,
Salpingopharyngeus, Palatopharyngeus muscles.
5. Buccopharyngeal fascia-
• Covers the outer surface of the constrictors.
• Below the buccopharyngeal fascia, on the muscular coat there
lie the pharyngeal plexus of veins and nerves.

17.  External Carotid Artery- Ascending pharyngeal branch.
 Facial artery- Ascending palatine & tonsillar branches.
 Lingual Artery- Dorsal lingual branches.
 Maxillary Artery- Greater Palatine, Pharyngeal , Pterygoid
branches .
Blood Supply

19. Venous
Drainage

20. Lymphatic
Drainage
 Retropharyngeal Lymphnodes.
 Deep Cervical Lymphnodes.

21. Nerve Supply
 Supplied by pharyngeal plexus of nerves chiefly on
the middle constrictor.
 Plexus is formed by-
• Pharyngeal branch of vagus (cranial accessory).
• Pharyngeal branch of glossopharyngeal.
• Pharyngeal branches of superior cervical sympathetic
ganglion.