Behind the ostium of the

eustachian tube The Eustachian tube (), also called the auditory tube or pharyngotympanic tube, is a tube that links the nasopharynx to the middle ear, of which it is also a part. In adult humans, the Eustachian tube is approximately long and in diameter. It ...

(ostium pharyngeum tuba auditiva) is a deep recess, the pharyngeal recess (fossa of Rosenmüller).

Clinical significance

At the base of this recess is the

retropharyngeal lymph node The retropharyngeal lymph nodes, from one to three in number, lie in the buccopharyngeal fascia, behind the upper part of the pharynx and in front of the arch of the atlas, being separated, however, from the latter by the longus capitis. Their '' ...

(the node of Rouvière). This is clinically significant in that it may be involved in certain head and neck

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

s, notably

nasopharyngeal cancer Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), or nasopharynx cancer, is the most common cancer originating in the nasopharynx, most commonly in the postero-lateral nasopharynx or pharyngeal recess ( fossa of Rosenmüller), accounting for 50% of cases. NPC occur ...

References

External links

* * Human head and neck {{Anatomy-stub