Nasopharynx
Pars nasalis pharyngis
RespiratoryOrgansHead
- What it is
- The upper part of the pharynx, behind the choanae and above the soft palate; the adenoid lies on its roof and the Eustachian tubes open on its side walls.
- Function
- Air passage from the nose to the lower airway; the soft palate seals it off during swallowing.
- Size
- About 2 cm high, 3–4 cm wide and 2 cm deep.
- Clinical note
- Enlarged adenoids block nasal breathing and the Eustachian tubes in children; nasopharyngeal cancer often first shows as one-sided glue ear.