By convention, the ear is subdivided into three parts: the external, middle and inner ear. It is largely, but not entirely, contained within the temporal bone. The ears not only receive, modulate, conduct, amplify and discriminately analyse the complex pressure…
The larynx is an air passage, a sphincter and an organ of phonation, and extends from the tongue to the trachea. It projects ventrally between the great vessels of the neck and is covered anteriorly by skin, fasciae and the…
The pharynx is a 12–14 cm long musculomembranous tube shaped like an inverted cone. It extends from the cranial base to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage (the level of the sixth or seventh cervical vertebrae), where it becomes…
Box 39.1 and Table 39.1 set out the different anatomical and clinical terms that are applied to some of the structures described in this chapter. Box 39.1 A note on terminology ‘The advent of endoscopic sinus surgery led to a…
Infratemporal Fossa The infratemporal fossa lies deep to the ramus of the mandible. It communicates with the temporal fossa superiorly deep to the zygomatic arch; the orbit anteriorly through the inferior orbital fissure; the pterygopalatine fossa medially through the pterygomaxillary…
The mouth extends from the lips and cheeks externally to the anterior pillars of the fauces internally, where it continues into the oropharynx. The mouth can be subdivided into the vestibule external to the teeth and the oral cavity proper…
Skin The scalp and buccolabial tissues are described here. The structure of the eyelids is discussed in Chapter 44 . Scalp The scalp extends from the top of the forehead anteriorly to the superior nuchal line posteriorly. Laterally, it projects…
The neck extends from the base of the cranium and the inferior border of the mandible to the thoracic inlet. Skin The skin in the neck is normally under tension. Lines of greatest tension have been termed ‘relaxed skin tension…
The skull is the bony skeleton of the head. It houses the brain, the organs of special sense, and the upper parts of the respiratory and digestive systems and provides attachments for many of the muscles of the head and…
Skin and Fascia Face and scalp The superficial fascia of the scalp is firm, dense, fibroadipose, and closely adherent to the skin and to the underlying muscle, epicranius and the epicranial aponeurosis. Posteriorly, the fascia is continuous with the superficial…