Oropharynx
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At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe'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- Oropharyngeal anatomy
The oropharynx forms part of the pharynx, being the continuation of the oral cavity and nasopharynx superiorly, and the larynx and hypopharynx inferiorly. It also forms part of the upper respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal tract.
Its mucosa layer is continuous with the oral cavity, its submucosal layer is continuous with pharyngobasilar fascia, and its muscular layer is continuous with the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle, tongue muscles, tensor, and levator veli palatini 6.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
Boundaries
anteriorly: vertical plane defined by the circumvallate papillae, anterior tonsillar pillars, and border of hard and soft palate
posteriorly: posterior pharyngeal wall
superiorly: level of the soft palate free border
inferiorly: level of the hyoid bone or tip of epiglottis
laterally: tonsillar fossae and pillars
Contents
The subsites of the oropharyngeal tissues include the following:
base (posterior third) of tongue (including lingual tonsils)
tonsillar complex (palatine tonsils, tonsillar fossae, and tonsillar pillars)
soft palate (inferior surface and uvula)
pharyngeal wall (lateral and posterior)
Various spaces are included:
glossotonsillar sulci (area between base of tongue/lingual tonsils and palatine tonsils)
valleculae (space between the base of tongue and epiglottis)
oropharyngeal isthmus (space between the palatoglossal arches)
For staging purposes, the lingual (anterior) surface of the epiglottis is excluded and instead classified as part of the larynx, and the nasopharyngeal (superior) surface of the soft palate is excluded and instead classified as part of the nasopharynx.
Arterial Supply
Venous drainage
Related pathology
References
- 1. Trotta B, Pease C, Rasamny J, Raghavan P, Mukherjee S. Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Cancer: Key Imaging Findings for Staging and Treatment Planning. Radiographics. 2011;31(2):339-54. doi:10.1148/rg.312105107 - Pubmed
- 2. Law C, Chandra R, Hoang J, Phal P. Imaging the Oral Cavity: Key Concepts for the Radiologist. Br J Radiol. 2011;84(1006):944-57. doi:10.1259/bjr/70520972 - Pubmed
- 3. Andy Adam, Adrian K. Dixon, Cornelia Schaefer-Prokop et al. Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology, 2 Volume Set. (2020) ISBN: 9780702075247 - Google Books
- 4. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. (2008) ISBN: 9780443066849 - Google Books
- 5. German, Rebecca & Palmer, Jeffrey. (2006). Anatomy and development of oral cavity and pharynx. GI Motility online. 10.1038/gimo5.
- 6. Stephanie Ryan, Michelle McNicholas, Stephen J. Eustace. Anatomy for Diagnostic Imaging. (2011) Page 36-37. ISBN: 9780702029714 - Google Books
Incoming Links
- Gastrointestinal tract
- Squamous cell carcinoma (tongue)
- Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas
- Nasopharynx
- Spontaneous retropharyngeal haemorrhage
- Larynx
- Pharynx
- Palatine tonsil
- Oropharyngeal (p16-negative) cancer (staging)
- Oral cavity
- Visceral space
- Stylopharyngeus muscle
- Oropharyngeal isthmus
- Head and neck anatomy
- Respiratory tract
- Hyoid elevation
- Minor salivary gland tumours
- Palatoglossus muscle
- Salpingopharyngeus muscle
- Soft palate
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cranial vault
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sutures
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facial bones
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common carotid artery
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arterial supply
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