Table X

The pharynx is left in site with its posterior wall resected: we can therefore see its front wall with its two posterior nasal apertures, soft palate, oropharyngeal isthmus and inlet of the larynx. On the right hand side of the soft palate the mucosa has been removed displaying the arched fibres ‘upwards’ of tensor palatini muscle and, deep inside these, the oblique fibres downwards of levator veli palatini; the mucosa has also been removed from the right half of the back of the larynx so that the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle and oblique and transverse arytenoid muscles can be seen. On the left pharyngeal wall we notice the stylopharyngeus muscle detached from its bone attachment.

The cricoid and thyroid cartilages linked by the cricothyroid ligament and muscle (this one only on the right) can be seen. Furthermore we can see the hyoid bone connected to the thyroid cartilage by the thyrohyoid membrane and muscle (which is on the left hand side only).

Shows the body and the lesser and the greater horns  of the hyoid bone.