Morphologic characteristics of palatopharyngeal muscle.
In an effort to clarify the morphologic characteristics of the palatopharyngeal muscle, we examined its origin, insertion, and positional relationship with other muscles. We found that the origin of the palatopharyngeal muscle was both the oral and the nasal side of the soft palate; it was also attached to both the palatal aponeurosis and the soft palate median. However, in some cases the muscle originated on the nasal side was lacked. When the palatopharyngeal muscle originated from both the oral and the nasal side, it traveled through its insertion via the levator muscle of the palatine velum. This insertion was seen in a wide area and could be divided into three parts: the pharynx anterior, central, and posterior walls. In the central pharyngeal wall, insertion into the pharyngeal aponeurosis, inferior constrictor pharyngeal muscle, and esophagus were observed. The present results suggest that the palatopharyngeal muscle has a close positional relationship with the levator and tensor muscles of the palatine velum, the pharyngeal constrictor muscles, and the esophagus.
Department of Anatomy, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba-city, Chiba, 261-8502, Japan.
Shinpei
S
Okuda
Shinichi
S
Abe
Hee-Jin
HJ
Kim
Hiroko
H
Agematsu
Satoshi
S
Mitarashi
Yuichi
Y
Tamatsu
Yoshinobu
Y
Ide
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D003679:Deglutition; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010156:Palatal Muscles / Q000473:pathology*; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010609:Pharyngeal Muscles / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010614:Pharynx / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery