Nasal cavity

lateral wall nasal cavity netters.png

behold, a nose.

cell types

  • ciliated epithelium

bony bits

arterial supply

See Little's area for all the nasty epistaxis business
Anterior and posterior ethmoidal artery (br. ophthalmic artery)
Maxillary artery (br. external carotid)

innervation

  • secretomotor: pterygopalatine
  • sensory: CN V1 and V2 mainly
    • anterior ethmoidal nerve - anterior nasal cavity

Nerve supply to nasal septum
The nasal septum is supplied by the following

  • Olfactory nerve (specialised olfactory nerve ends)
  • Anterior ethmoidal nerve (Internal nasal branch - CN V1)
  • Nasopalatine nerve (branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion / maxillary nerve V2)
  • Greater palatine nerve (branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion / maxillary nerve V2)

Nerve supply to lateral walls
The lateral walls of the nasal cavity can be thought of as being supplied by quadrant, much like the arterial supply, and are supplied by

  • anterosuperior quadrant: anterior ethmoidal nerve
  • anteroinferior quadrant: infraorbital nerve
  • posteroinferior quadrant: greater palatine nerve (branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion) via posterior inferior lateral nasal branches
  • posterosuperior quadrant: posterior superior lateral nasal branches of the pterygopalatine ganglion

#anatomy-head-neck