AN37.1-3 | Cavity of Nose — Glossary

Midline partition of the nasal cavity formed by septal cartilage, perpendicular plate of ethmoid, vomer, and nasal crest of maxilla and palatine bones

Common anatomical variation with deviation most often at the vomer-septal cartilage junction; causes nasal obstruction and epistaxis

Scroll-shaped bony projections on the lateral nasal wall (inferior, middle, superior) that increase surface area for warming, humidifying, and filtering inspired air

Functional unit under the middle turbinate (uncinate process, infundibulum, hiatus semilunaris, bulla ethmoidalis) through which the maxillary, frontal, and anterior ethmoidal sinuses drain

Anteroinferior nasal septum where five arteries anastomose forming Kiesselbach's plexus; site of 90% of all epistaxis

Arterial anastomosis at Little's area formed by anterior ethmoidal, posterior ethmoidal, sphenopalatine, greater palatine, and superior labial arteries

Largest artery of the nasal cavity from the maxillary artery; supplies the posterior cavity and inferior turbinate; source of posterior epistaxis

Largest paranasal sinus within the body of the maxilla; ostium opens high on medial wall into the middle meatus; molar roots project into the floor

Paranasal sinus in the frontal bone above the medial supraorbital ridge; drains via the frontonasal duct into the middle meatus

Anterior, middle, and posterior air cells within the ethmoid labyrinth; separated from the orbit by the thin lamina papyracea

Paper-thin orbital plate of the ethmoid bone separating the ethmoidal sinuses from the orbit; allows orbital cellulitis from ethmoiditis

Paranasal sinus within the body of the sphenoid; related to the pituitary gland above and cavernous sinus laterally; drains into the sphenoethmoidal recess

Imaginary line from medial canthus to mandibular angle dividing the maxillary sinus into infrastructure (better prognosis) and suprastructure (worse prognosis)

Abnormal communication between the oral cavity and maxillary sinus, typically after extraction of upper molar teeth whose roots project into the sinus floor

Surgical treatment for chronic sinusitis targeting the OMC to restore sinus drainage; requires precise knowledge of orbital and skull base relations

Branch of CN V2 running in the floor of the orbit (roof of maxillary sinus); supplies sensation to the lower eyelid, lateral nose, and upper lip

Nosebleed; anterior (90%, from Little's area) or posterior (10%, from sphenopalatine artery territory, more severe)

Crescent-shaped gap between the uncinate process and the bulla ethmoidalis on the lateral nasal wall; the main drainage portal of the OMC

Duct draining tears from the lacrimal sac into the inferior meatus of the nasal cavity, opening 1.5 cm posterior to the anterior end of the inferior turbinate

Air-filled extensions of the nasal cavity into surrounding skull bones (maxillary, frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal); lighten the skull and add resonance to voice

Hook-shaped bony projection from the ethmoid forming the medial wall of the ethmoidal infundibulum; key surgical landmark in FESS