Diseases Of The Nose Throat And Ear

94

THE PHARYNX AND NASOPHARYNX

present on the base of the tongue, and is called the lingual tonsil. It lies in the
vallecula, which is a recess between the tongue and the anterior surface of the
epiglottis. The ary-epiglottic folds run from the epiglottis to the arytenoid
cartilages and form the walls of the entrance to the larynx. On either lateral
side of the ary-epiglottic folds is a recess, the pyriform fossa, which forms a
channel for food during deglutition. The two pyriform fossae lead to the

'15

Fig. 46. Median section of head. 1, Sphenoid sinus; 2, Basisphenoid; 3, Orifice of Eustachian tube; 4,
Soft palate; 5, Palatine tonsil; 6, Palatopharyngeal fold; 7, Epiglottis; 8, Spheno-ethmoidal recess;
9, Superior concha; 10, Middle concha; 11, Inferior concha; 12, Hard palate; 13, Tongue;
14, Mandible; 15, Hyoid bone.

opening of the upper end of the oesophagus which is situated behind the
cricoid cartilage—the postcricoid region.

THE PALATINE TONSILS

The palatine tonsils, more commonly called the tonsils, are masses of lymphoid
tissue lying between the faucial pillars. At birth they are of insignificant size,
but they enlarge during early childhood, especially between the third and
sixth years of age, probably in response to upper respiratory tract infections.
Thereafter some regression in size is to be expected, and in old age they
atrophy. Each tonsil is described as having an upper pole, a body and a lower
pole. About a dozen pitted depressions may be seen on the surface of the body