Nasal septum
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At the time the article was created Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Tariq Walizai had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Tariq Walizai's current disclosures- Septum of the nose
- Nose septum
- Septum nasi
The nasal septum (Latin: septum nasi) separates the left and right nasal cavities. It extends from the nares anteriorly to the choanae posteriorly and is covered by squamous epithelium.
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Gross anatomy
The vertical midline nasal septum is comprised primarily of a single nasal cartilage from the external nose and two bones. Anteriorly the septal cartilage (quadrangular cartilage) approximates a quadrilateral shape. Posteriorly it meets the concave anterior margins of the ethmoid and vomer. Superoposteriorly is the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid, inferoposteriorly is the vomer; these two bones have a diagonal articulation running in a superoposteriorly-anteroinferiorly direction. Occasionally the nasal septal cartilage extends more posteriorly interposing itself between the ethmoid and vomer which in some cases never meet 1.
The anterior septum, at the border between bone portion and cartilage, presents to consider the septal tubercle (or organ of Zuckerkandl), consisting of a rudimental area of erectile tissue 4.
In addition, the nasal crest of the palatine bone which articulates anteriorly with the nasal crest of the maxilla, together form a horizontal strip of bone, which articulates above with the inferior margin of the vomer.
The greater alar cartilages which form part of the cartilaginous scaffolding of the external nose each have two crura, lateral and medial. The two medial crura are tenuously joined in the midline and together with some intervening soft tissue form the septum mobile nasi at the most anteroinferior margin of the septal cartilage. Anteriorly, the columella is the visible soft tissue portion of the nasal septum that separates the two nares (nostrils) and incorporates the septum mobile nasi.
Arterial supply
Blood supply is via the:
sphenopalatine artery: a branch of the maxillary artery
anterior and posterior ethmoidal arteries: branches of the ophthalmic artery
superior labial artery (anteriorly): a branch of the facial artery
greater palatine artery (posteriorly): a branch of the maxillary artery
Innervation
anterior ethmoidal nerve: posterosuperior septum
nasal branches of the greater palatine nerve: posteroinferior septum
nasopalatine nerve, a branch of the maxillary nerve (CN V2): anterior (cartilaginous) septum
Variant anatomy
nasal septal deviation is extremely common
Development
Around the fourth week of gestation, neural crest cells begin to migrate caudally toward the midface. These develop into two symmetrical nasal placodes. Each placode is divided by a nasal pit into a medial and lateral nasal process. The septum develops from the medial processes, along with the premaxilla and philtrum.
Related pathology
References
- 1. Joao A.C. Navarro. The Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinuses. (2012) ISBN: 9783642568299 - Google Books
- 2. Keith L. Moore, Arthur F. Dalley, A. M. R. Agur. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. (2013) ISBN: 9781451119459 - Google Books
- 3. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2015) ISBN: 9780702052309 - Google Books
- 4. Emanuele Scribano, Giorgio Ascenti, Felice Cascio. La TC in Patologia Flogistica Rino-Sinusale. (1994) ISBN: 9788870691856 - Google Books
Incoming Links
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (upper respiratory tract manifestations)
- Concha bullosa
- Lobular capillary hemangioma of the nasal cavity
- Nasal septal cartilage
- Ethmoid bone
- Columella
- Nasal septal haematoma
- Nasopalatine nerve
- Dacryocystocele
- Cribriform plate
- Exophytic sinonasal papilloma
- Nasal cavity
- Compressor naris muscle
- Anterior naris
- Nasal cartilages
- Anterior ethmoidal artery
- Depressor septi nasalis muscle
- Nose
- Nasal bone fracture
- Deviated nasal septum
- Nasal septal abscess
- Nasal septum innervation (Gray's illustration)
- Nasal cartilages (Gray's illustrations)
- Chondrosarcoma of the nasal septum
- Sinonasal angiomatous polyp
- Adenoid cystic carcinoma of maxillary sinus
- Vomer (Gray's illustrations)
- Nasal cavity (Gray's illustration)
- Osteoma - ethmoid air cells
- Concha bullosa - bilateral
- Paradoxical right middle turbinate
- Nasal septum
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