The pharynx is a musculo-membranous passage common to both the digestive and respiratory systems. It is a funnel shaped organ, the broad end of which continuous with the mouth and nasal cavities, while the oesophagus continues the narrow portion. Pharynx of Ox is directed obliquely downwards and backwards and is attached by muscles to the palatine, pterygoid and hyoid bones and to the cricoid and thyroid cartilages of larynx
Relations
- Dorsally the base of cranium and supra-pharyngeal lymph glands, and Ventrally the larynx, Laterally, the medial pterygoid muscles, great cornua of the hyoid bone, external carotid and external maxillary arteries, the glosso-pharyngeal, cranial laryngeal and hypoglossal nerves, mandibular salivary glands and para-pharyngeal lymph glands
The cavity of the pharynx presents seven openings –
- One and two – Two caudal nares situated at the antero-dorsal part communicating with the nasal cavities
- Three – The Isthmus faucium below the caudal nares communicating with the mouth cavity
- Four – The auditus laryngis opening into the larynx
- Five – Auditus oesophagi opening into the oesophagus
- Six and Seven – Two Eustachian orifices behind the caudal nares at the dorso-caudal part communicating with the tympanic cavity of middle ear, through Eustachian tubes
- The vault or fornix on the roof of pharynx is divided here into two cul-de-sac by a median fold of mucous membrane., which is the continuation of the septum nasi
- Structure
- Pharyngeal muscles
- Aponeurosis – attached to the bones at the base of the cranium
- Mucous membrane- continuous with that of the several cavities which opens into it
