Hypopharynx
Encyclopedia
In human anatomy, the hypopharynx (or laryngopharynx) is the bottom part of the pharynx
, and is the part of the throat
that connects to the esophagus
.
The superior boundary of the hypopharynx is at the level of the hyoid bone
with the inferior border being the lower level of the cricoid cartilage.
It can be divided into three sub-sites:
The vascular supply to the hypopharyn includes the Superior Thyroid Artery, the Lingual Artery and the Ascending Pharyngeal Artery.
Primary neural supply is from both the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves. The vagus nerve provides a branch termed "Arnolds Nerve" which also supplies the external auditory canal, thus hypophayrngeal cancer can result in referred otalgia. This nerve is also responsible for the ear-cough reflex in which stimulation of the ear canal results in a person coughing.
Pharynx
The human pharynx is the part of the throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and anterior to the esophagus and larynx. The human pharynx is conventionally divided into three sections: the nasopharynx , the oropharynx , and the laryngopharynx...
, and is the part of the throat
Throat
In vertebrate anatomy, the throat is the anterior part of the neck, in front of the vertebral column. It consists of the pharynx and larynx...
that connects to the esophagus
Esophagus
The esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...
.
The superior boundary of the hypopharynx is at the level of the hyoid bone
Hyoid bone
The hyoid bone is a horseshoe-shaped bone situated in the anterior midline of the neck between the chin and the thyroid cartilage. At rest, it lies at the level of the base of the mandible in the front and the third cervical vertebra behind.Unlike other bones, the hyoid is only distantly...
with the inferior border being the lower level of the cricoid cartilage.
It can be divided into three sub-sites:
- piriform sinusPiriform sinusOn either side of the laryngeal orifice is a recess, termed the piriform sinus , which is bounded medially by the aryepiglottic fold, laterally by the thyroid cartilage and hyothyroid membrane...
- postcricoid area
- posterior pharyngeal wall
The vascular supply to the hypopharyn includes the Superior Thyroid Artery, the Lingual Artery and the Ascending Pharyngeal Artery.
Primary neural supply is from both the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves. The vagus nerve provides a branch termed "Arnolds Nerve" which also supplies the external auditory canal, thus hypophayrngeal cancer can result in referred otalgia. This nerve is also responsible for the ear-cough reflex in which stimulation of the ear canal results in a person coughing.