Anatomy And Physiology Of The Nose And Throat
The nose is the organ of smell located in the center of the face. The inside of the nose is above the roof of the mouth. The nose is made up of:
The external meatus. Triangular projection located in the center of the face.
- The nostrils. Two chambers divided by the nasal septum.
- The nasal septum. Mainly made up of cartilage and bone and covered by mucous membranes. Cartilage also shapes and supports the outside of the nose.
- The nostrils. Ducts covered by a mucous membrane and tiny hairs (cilia) that help filter the air.
- The paranasal sinuses. Four pairs of air-filled cavities, also lined by a mucous membrane.
Continuous sinus infections can lead to the need for a leading rhinoplasty surgery in Miami, FL to open up the sinus cavities.
What are paranasal sinuses?
The paranasal sinuses are cavities, or air-filled bags, near the nostrils. As in the nostrils, the paranasal sinuses are lined with mucous membranes. There are four different types of sinuses:
- The ethmoidal sinus: located inside the face, around the area of the bridge of the nose. It is already developed at birth and then continues to grow
- The maxillary sinus: located inside the face, around the cheek area. It is also developed at birth and then continues to grow.
- The frontal sinus: located inside the face, around the forehead area. The breast does not begin to develop until approximately seven years of age.
- The sphenoid sinus: located deep in the face, behind the nose. It usually does not develop until adolescence.
What is the throat?
The throat is a tube similar to a muscular ring that acts as the conduit for air, food, and fluids. The throat also aids in speech formation. The throat is made up of:
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- The larynx (or voice box): A larynx is a cylindrical group of cartilage, muscles, and soft tissue that contains the vocal cords. The vocal cords are the upper hole in the windpipe, the conduit to the lungs.
- The epiglottis: a fin made of soft tissue and located just above the vocal cords. The epiglottis folds over the vocal cords to prevent food and irritating substances from entering the lungs.
- Tonsils and Adenoids: The tonsils and adenoids are made up of lymphatic tissue and are located on the back and sides of the mouth. Their role is to protect against infection, but they generally don’t have much use after childhood.
Nasal Polyposis: Symptoms, Prognosis, And Treatment
The nasal polyps are whitish formations that appear inside the nostrils or sinuses and are due to an inflammatory process of the mucosa.
These polyps are benign but can grow to the point of completely obstructing the nostrils.
The great experience of the University of Navarra Clinic in the endoscopic removal of polyps makes the intervention less aggressive.
The subsequent control of the patients, together with an adequate diagnosis of the allergic cause, allows a good evolution to be achieved in many patients.
Most common symptoms:
- Impaired smell (anosmia).
- Increased nasal mucus.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Snoring.
What are the causes?
The cause of nasal polyposis is unknown. The cause was initially believed to be allergic, but this is not always the case. Repeated inflammations of the nasal mucosa, due, for example, to rhinitis or sinusitis, anatomical alterations of the nostrils or paranasal sinuses, may be factors that favor the appearance of nasal polyps.
Treatment
Traditional treatment is not always effective: sometimes, they only respond to corticosteroids, and when surgery is performed, polyps sometimes reappear within a few months if they are not adequately respected.
Endonasal endoscopic surgery is a very effective procedure to correct nasal pathologies such as sinusitis, septal deviation, polyps, and tumors of the nose, skull base tumors …
It is done through the opening of the nostrils: without incisions. A thin fiber-optic instrument (endoscope) is inserted through the nose.
The intervention facilitates the drainage of mucus from the sinuses without risk of damaging the natural function of the mucosa, reduces pain, improves breathing, and even smells and sleep. he hospitalization period is minimal.
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