LATERAL WALL OF THE NOSE

Introduction
• The irregular region of the nasopharynx essential for humidifying and filtering the air we
breathe in nasally.
• Lateral Wall separates the nose:
- From the orbit above.
1
- From the maxillary sinus below.

- From the lacrimal groove and

nasolacrimal canal in front.

Skeleton of the Lateral Wall

• Three parts:
1. Bony part
2. Cartilaginous part
3. Cuticular part

Bony part

• Nasal bone 1
• Frontal process of Maxilla 2
• Lacrimal Bone 3 1

2
• Conchae and Labyrinth
of Ethmoid 4 4
• Inferior Nasal Concha 5 3
2
• Perpendicular plate of
Palatine Bone 6
7 5
• Medial Pterygoid Plate 7
6

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1

2
3
2
3
4

Cartilaginous Part

• Lateral Nasal Cartilage (Upper Nasal Cartilage 1

• Major Alar Cartilage (Lower Nasal Cartilage) 2
• 3-4 tiny Minor Alar Cartilages 3

Cuticular part

• Formed by fibrofatty tissue covered with skin. 4

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 Subdivision of Lateral Wall

• Three parts.
1. Anterior Part / Vestibule
• Small depressed area in the anterior part.
• Lined by modified skin containing short, stiff,
curved hairs called Vibrissae. 1

2. Middle Part / Atrium of the Middle Meatus

• Limited above by a faint ridge of mucous
membrane, the Agger Nasi. 2

• Curved Mucocutaneous Junction between the

Atrium and Vestibule is known as Limen Nasi. 3

3. Posterior Part
• Posterior part contains the conchae.
• Spaces separating the conchae
are called meatuses.

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 Conchae and Meatuses

w Conchae
• Three shelf-like curved bony projections.
• Directed downwards and medially.

Function
• Increase the surface area of the nose for
effective air-conditioning of the inspired air.

• Three types:
Inferior concha 1 Middle concha 2 Superior Concha 3
• Independent bone • Projection from the medial • Projection from the medial
• Largest concha surface of Ethmoidal Labyrinth. surface of the ethmoidal
labyrinth
• Smallest concha.
• Situated just above the
posterior part of the
Middle Concha.

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 Meatuses
• Passages beneath the overhanging conchae.
• Each meatus communicates freely with
the nasal cavity proper.
• Three types:
(a) Inferior Meatus
(b) Middle Meatus
(c) Superior Meatus

(a) Inferior meatus (b) Middle Meatus (c) Superior meatus

• Lies underneath • Lies underneath the • Smallest meatus.
the Inferior Concha. Middle Concha. • Lies below the
• Largest meatus. Superior Concha.

Features Features Features

• Opening of • Ethmoidal Bulla: 2 • Opening of Posterior
Nasolacrimal Duct. 1 A rounded elevation Ethmoidal Air Sinus. 5
produced by the underlying
Middle Ethmoidal Sinuses.
• Hiatus Semilunaris: 3
- Deep semi-circular sulcus
below the bulla.
5
• Infundibulum: 4
- Short passage at the
anterior end of the hiatus.

5
3 2
2
3

4 1

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 Openings into Meatuses

2
4

6 5

Sites Openings
6

Sphenoethmoidal recess • Opening of the Sphenoidal Air Sinus. 1

Superior Meatus • Opening of the Posterior Ethmoidal Air Sinuses. 2

Middle Meatus
• On bulla • Opening of the Middle Ethmoidal Air Sinuses. 3

• In hiatus semilunaris
- Anterior part • Opening of the Frontal Air Sinus. 4
- Middle part • Opening of the Anterior Ethmoidal Air Sinuses. 5
- Posterior part • Opening of the Maxillary Air Sinus. 6

Inferior Meatus • Opening of the Nasolacrimal Duct 7

(in the anterior part of meatus).

Sphenoethmoidal Recess
• Triangular fossa above the superior concha.
• Opening of the sphenoidal air sinus.

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 Arterial Supply

• Anterosuperior quadrant
- Anterior Ethmoidal Artery. 1
- Posterior Ethmoidal Artery.

• Anteroinferior quadrant 1
- Facial Artery. 2 3
Anterosuperior Posterosuperior
• Posterosuperior quadrant Quadrant Quadrant
7 - Sphenopalatine Artery. 3
Anteroinferior Posteroinferior 4
• Posteroinferior quadrant Quadrant Quadrant
- Greater Palatine Artery. 4 2

Venous Drainage

• Veins form a plexus.

• From plexus:
Anteriorly:
- Drains into Facial Vein.
8
Posteriorly:
- Drains into Pharyngeal Plexus.

Middle Part:
- Drains into Pterygoid Plexus.

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 Nerve Supply

3
Anterosuperior Quadrant Posterosuperior Quadrant
4

Anteroinferior Quadrant Posteroinferior Quadrant

General sensory nerves:

- Branches of trigeminal nerve.

• Anterosuperior Quadrant
- Anterior ethmoidal nerve. 1

• Anteroinferior Quadrant
- Anterior superior alveolar nerve. 2

• Posterosuperior Quadrant
- Lateral posterior superior nasal branches
from the Pterygopalatine Ganglion. 3

• Posteroinferior Quadrant
- Nasopalatine nerve 4 from
the Pterygopalatine Ganglion.

Special Sensory Nerves/Olfactory Nerves

- In upper part of the Lateral Wall. 5

Lymphatic Drainage

• Anterior half:
- To the submandibular nodes.
10
• Posterior half:
- To the retropharyngeal and upper deep cervical nodes.

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Lateral Wall

Skeleton Subdivision

Bony part Cartilage Auricular Part Anterior Middle Posterior

• Nasal bone • Lateral Nasal Cartilage • Fibrofatty Vibrissae • Agger Nasi

• Frontal process of Maxilla • Major Alar Cartilage Tissue • Limen Nasi
• Lacrimal Bone • Minor Alar Cartilage
• Conchae and Labyrinth
of Ethmoid
• Inferior Nasal Concha
• Perpendicular plate of Meatus Conchae
Palatine Bone
• Medial Pterygoid Plate

Inferior Middle Superior Inferior Middle Superior

(Largest) (Smallest)

• Opening of: On Bulla:

Bulla • Opening of:
- Nasolacrimal Duct • Opening of: - Posterior Ethmoidal
- Middle Ethmoidal Sinus Air Sinus

Hiatus Semilunaris
• Opening of:
- Frontal Air Sinus
- Anterior Ethmoidal Air Sinus
- Maxillary Air Sinus

Ecdentistry’s Bytes
Infundibulum
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Lateral Wall

Arterial Supply Venous Drainage Nervous Supply Lymphatic Drainage

Anterosuperior Posterosuperior
Plexus General Sensory Special Sensory
Anterior Ethmoidal Artery Sphenopalatine Artery
Posterior Ethmoidal Artery
Upper Part
of the
Anteroinferior Posteroinferior Lateral Wall
Facial Artery Greater Palatine Artery

Anterosuperior Posterosuperior
Anterior Ethmoidal Nerve Pterygopalatine Ganglion

Anteroinferior Posteroinferior
Anterior Superior Nasopalatine Nerve
Alveolar Nerve

Anterior Middle Posterior Anterior Posterior

Ecdentistry’s Bytes
Facial Vein Pterygoid Pharyngeal Submandibular Nodes • Retropharyngeal Nodes
Plexus Plexus • Upper Deep Cervical Nodes
 Ecdentistry
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Ecdentistry’s Bytes