Palatine tonsils

2. Palatine Tonsils
• Ovoid masses of lymphoid tissue
situated in the lateral wall of oropharynx
b/w anterior and posterior pillars.
Functions:
• Local immunity
• Surveillance mechanism

3. Waldeyer’s Ring
• Components:
• Palatine tonsils
• Nasopharyngeal tonsils
• Tubal tonsils
• Lingual tonsils

4. Structure of Palatine Tonsils

5. Anatomy
• Medial Surface:
• Lined by stratified squamous non-keratinized epithelium
• Dips inwards into substance to form crypts (12-15 in
number)
• Secondary crypts
• Crypta Magna :
One of the crypts situated near the upper
part of tonsil is very large and deep called crypta
magna/intratonsillar cleft.

6. Medial Surface

7. Anatomy
• Lateral Surface:
• It presents a well defined fibrous capsule separated from
the bed of tonsils by loose areolar tissue.
• Clinical application of Loose areolar tissue:
• Tonsillectomy
• Peritonsillar abscess

8. Bed of Tonsils

9. Anatomy
• Upper Pole:
• Extends into soft palate
• Its medial surface is covered with s semilunar fold that
extends b/w tonsillar pillars and enclosing a potential space
called
supratonsillar fossa.

10. Anatomy
• Lower Pole:
• Is attached to tongue
• A triangular fold of mucous membrane extends from
anterior pillar to anteroinferior part of tonsil and encloses a
space called anterior tonsillar space
• Separated from tongue by a sulcus called tonsillolingual
sulcus.

11. Blood Supply of Tonsils
• Arterial supply:
• Venous Drainage:
Drain into paratonsillar vein which joins the common facial
vein and pharyngeal venous plexus.

12. • Nerve Supply:
• Lesser palatine branches of sphenopalatine ganglion
• Glossopharyngeal nerve
• Lymphatic Drainage:
• Upper deep cervical lymph nodes.