What is piriform sinus?
Pyriform sinus refers to the pear-shaped fossa (Latin for “trench”) just lateral to the laryngeal entrance. Its medial surface is the aryepiglottic cord; laterally it is bounded by the thyroid cartilage, and posteriorly by the low posterior pharyngeal wall.
Where is the piriform sinus?
laryngeal
The pyriform sinus (also spelled piriform sinus and also known as the pyriform recess, pyriform fossa, and smuggler’s fossa) is the pear-shaped subsite of the hypopharynx located posterolaterally to either side of the laryngeal opening.
What is a vallecula in the throat?
Vallecula is a term that means depression in something. The epiglottic vallecula consists of a small mucosa-lined depression (vallecula) located at the base of the tongue just between the folds of the throat on either side of the median glossoepiglottic fold.
What purpose does the vallecula serve?
The function of the “depression” is to serve as a trap for saliva and occasionally food. Trapping the saliva in the vallecula prevents the swallowing reflex. At night, when a person is asleep, the vallecula traps the saliva so that the swallowing reflex is not constantly triggered.
What causes pyriform sinus residue?
Reduced laryngeal elevation results in residue in area of laryngeal vestibule because larynx is too low and collects food during swallow. Because larynx is not elevating well, cricopharyngeal region does not open as widely and there is residue in pyriform sinuses.
What causes pooling in the Vallecula?
Pooling occurs when a person’s swallow does not successfully send the entire mass of food or liquid into the esophagus, so that some or all of the material remains in the hypopharynx. In such cases, the material commonly pools in the vallecula and pyriform sinuses.
Is pyriform sinus part of hypopharynx?
The hypopharynx extends from the hyoid bone to the cricoid cartilage and is further subdivided into the regions of the pyriform sinus, pharyngeal wall, and posterior cricoid. The hypopharynx is the longest of the 3 segments of the pharynx.
Is the vallecula part of the pharynx?
Abstract. The vallecula epiglottica is a borderline area between the pharynx and the larynx, though covered by the epiglottis, and a functionally strategic site and breeding ground for epidermoid carcinoma, but it has remained unappreciated by anatomists.
What area of the body is the vallecula located in?
Vallecular cyst is the name of specific type of cystic fullness in the area between the very back of the tongue (base of tongue), and the epiglottis. This area of the body is the empty space that is called the vallecula.
Why is there residue in the vallecula?
Videofluoroscopic swallow studies have demonstrated that when there is insufficient contact between base tongue and posterior pharyngeal wall, residue remains in the valleculae [26].
How do you get food out of vallecula?
The epiglottis flips backward or retroflexes over the opening to the larynx, like a lid covering the larynx and trachea during the swallow. While this helps to protect the airway from food material entering, it also allows for the tongue base to now clear the food out of the vallecula.
Is the vallecula part of the larynx?
The vallecula epiglottica is a borderline area between the pharynx and the larynx, though covered by the epiglottis, and a functionally strategic site and breeding ground for epidermoid carcinoma, but it has remained unappreciated by anatomists.
Is the vallecula part of the hypopharynx?
Normal Anatomy The hypopharynx extends from the level of the hyoid bone and valleculae to the cricopharyngeus (or inferior margin of the cricoid cartilage on imaging studies). Its three major anatomic subsites include the pyriform sinus, postcricoid area, and posterior pharyngeal wall.
What causes residue in pyriform sinus?
Dejaeger et al. [1] identified both pharyngeal constriction and pharyngeal shortening as factors relevant for the accumulation of pyriform sinus residue, and also implicated tongue driving force as a factor contributing to vallecular residue.
What causes food liquid to stay in the pyriform sinuses?
Is pyriform sinus part of oropharynx?
The lateral wall of the pyriform sinus is formed by the thyroid membrane and cartilage. The posterior hypopharyngeal wall is continuous with the posterior wall of the oropharynx and begins at the level of the valleculae. It continues caudally as the posterior wall of the cricopharyngeus and the cervical esophagus.
What are the 3 sections of the pharynx?
The throat (pharynx) is a muscular tube that runs from the back of your nose down into your neck. It contains three sections: the nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx, which is also called the hypopharynx.
Is vallecula an oropharynx?
The epiglottic valleculae are paired depressions in the oropharynx located anterior to the epiglottis and posterior to the base of tongue. They are located between the lateral glossoepiglottic folds and the median glossoepiglottic fold.
What causes residue in the vallecula?
What causes residue in pyriform sinuses?
Can food get stuck in the Vallecula?
When material rolls into the pharynx without a response, the bolus may land in the valleculae, the pyriform sinuses , or airway, depending upon the amount of food given, consistency of the food, and patient’s posture.
What is the piriform sinus?
This sinus is a common place for food particles to become trapped; if foreign material becomes lodged in the piriform fossa of an infant, it may be retrieved nonsurgically. If the area is injured (e.g., by a fish bone ), it can give the sensation of food stuck in the subject’s throat.
What is a pyriform sinus fistula?
Pyriform sinus fistula is a pyriform sinus infection which usually involves the thyroid glands. It is an abnormality on the development of the 3rd or 4th branchial pouch. In childhood, it presents itself as an acute neck inflammation which involves the thyroid gland most of the time.
Why is the piriform sinus important in neck and head cancer?
Distinguishing the two is important for treatment and staging of neck and head cancer. The pyriform sinus is also a place where food gets commonly trapped. In infants, if foreign materials get stuck in the piriform fossa, it can be nonsurgically retrieved.
Can pyriform sinus infection cause hoarseness?
Pyriform sinus infection can also cause hoarseness and may become permanent if not treated within a couple of months. Any defect, destruction or tampering of the pyriform sinus can affect the larynx adversely.