Palatine tonsil
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The palatine tonsils, also known as the faucial tonsils or simply the tonsils, are a bilateral collection of lymphoid tissue in the oropharyngeal mucosa. They form part of Waldeyer's ring.
Gross anatomy
The palatine tonsils are located in the oropharyngeal isthmus (fauces(isthmus of fauces). Each is often described to have two borders, two poles, and two surfaces:
- anterior and posterior borders (described in relations below)
- upper and lower poles: extending to the soft palate and dorsum of the tongue respectively
- medial and lateral surfaces (described in relations below)
Relations
- anteriorly: palatoglossal arch
- posteriorly: palatopharyngeal arch
- medially: covered by pharyngeal mucosa
- laterally: tonsillar capsule (thickened pharyngeal submucosa), superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle
Arterial supply
- arterial supply is primarily from the tonsillar branch of facial artery, with contributions from the ascending pharyngeal, lingual and ascending palatine arteries
Venous drainage
- venous drainage is via a venous plexus which drains into the pharyngeal plexus and external palatine vein
Lymphatic drainage
- lymph nodes: deep cervical group
- jugulodigastric nodes: inferior to the angle of the mandible
Innervation
- tonsillar branches
Histology
Consists of:
- non-keratinised stratified squamous epithelium
- incompletely encapsulated
- long-branched tonsillar crypts: e.g. intratonsillar cleft
Related pathology
-<p>The <strong>palatine tonsils</strong>, also known as the <strong>faucial tonsils</strong> or simply the <strong>tonsils</strong>, are a bilateral collection of <a href="/articles/lymphoid-organ-2">lymphoid tissue</a> in the <a title="Oropharyngeal anatomy" href="/articles/oropharynx">oropharyngeal</a> mucosa. They form part of <a href="/articles/waldeyers-ring-1">Waldeyer's ring</a>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The palatine tonsils are located in the <a title="oropharyngeal isthmus" href="/articles/oropharyngeal-isthmus">oropharyngeal isthmus</a> (fauces). Each is often described to have two borders, two poles, and two surfaces:</p><ul>- +<p>The <strong>palatine tonsils</strong>, also known as the <strong>faucial tonsils</strong> or simply the <strong>tonsils</strong>, are a bilateral collection of <a href="/articles/lymphoid-organ-2">lymphoid tissue</a> in the <a href="/articles/oropharynx">oropharyngeal</a> mucosa. They form part of <a href="/articles/waldeyers-ring-1">Waldeyer's ring</a>.</p><h4>Gross anatomy</h4><p>The palatine tonsils are located in the <a href="/articles/oropharyngeal-isthmus">oropharyngeal isthmus</a> (isthmus of fauces). Each is often described to have two borders, two poles, and two surfaces:</p><ul>