The salpingopharyngeus muscle is a
muscle
Muscle is a soft tissue, one of the four basic types of animal tissue. There are three types of muscle tissue in vertebrates: skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. Muscle tissue gives skeletal muscles the ability to muscle contra ...
of the
pharynx
The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the human mouth, mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates ...
. It arises from the lower part of the cartilage of the
Eustachian tube,
and inserts into the
palatopharyngeus muscle by blending with its posterior
fasciculus. It is innervated by
vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) via the
pharyngeal plexus. It raises the
pharynx
The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the human mouth, mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates ...
and
larynx
The larynx (), commonly called the voice box, is an organ (anatomy), organ in the top of the neck involved in breathing, producing sound and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. The opening of larynx into pharynx known as the laryngeal ...
during
deglutition (swallowing) and laterally draws the pharyngeal walls up. It opens the pharyngeal orifice of the
Eustachian tube during swallowing to allow for the equalization of pressure between it and the pharynx.
Structure
The salpingopharyngeus is a very slender muscle.
It passes inferior-ward from its origin to its insertion
within the
salpingopharyngeal fold.
Origin
The salpingopharyngeus muscle arises from the inferior portion of the
cartilaginous part of the
pharyngotympanic tube near its pharyngeal opening.
Its origin creates the posterior welt of the
torus tubarius
The torus tubarius (or torus of the auditory tube) is an elevation of the mucous membrane of the Pharynx#Nasopharynx, nasal part of the pharynx formed by the underlying base of the Eustachian tube, cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube, Eu ...
.
Insertion
It ends distally by blending with the
palatopharyngeus muscle.
Innervation
The salpingopharyngeus receives motor innervation from the
pharyngeal plexus of the vagus nerve.
Blood supply
The salpingopharyngeus muscle receives arterial supply from the
ascending palatine artery,
greater palatine artery, and the pharyngeal branch of the
ascending pharyngeal artery.
Variation
The salpingopharyngeus muscle is absent in about 40% of individuals. It is more common in thin individuals.
Function
The salpingopharyngeus muscle raises the
pharynx
The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the human mouth, mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates ...
and
larynx
The larynx (), commonly called the voice box, is an organ (anatomy), organ in the top of the neck involved in breathing, producing sound and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. The opening of larynx into pharynx known as the laryngeal ...
during
deglutition (swallowing) and laterally draws the pharyngeal walls up.
Unusually, it is relaxed during deglutition, but contracts at all other times.
It opens the pharyngeal orifice of the
Eustachian tube during swallowing allowing for the equalization of pressure between the it and the pharynx.
See also
*
Salpinx
Additional images
References
External links
Illustration at princetonchiropractic.com
{{Authority control
Muscles of the head and neck
Pharynx