Where are the palatine tonsils located?

The palatine tonsils are paired almond-shaped masses of lymphoid tissue located in the tonsillar fossae of the oropharynx. They lie between the anterior and posterior pillars of the fauces, formed by the palatoglossal and palatopharyngeal arches.

What are the boundaries of the tonsillar fossa?

The tonsillar fossa is bounded anteriorly by the palatoglossal arch, posteriorly by the palatopharyngeal arch, apex by the soft palate, base by the dorsum of the posterior third of the tongue, and laterally by the pharyngobasilar fascia, superior constrictor muscle, and buccopharyngeal fascia.

What is the blood supply to the palatine tonsils?

The main blood supply is the tonsillar branch of the facial artery, which enters at the lower pole. Other arteries include the dorsalis linguae, ascending palatine, ascending pharyngeal, and greater palatine arteries.

How are the palatine tonsils innervated?

Innervation is provided by the glossopharyngeal nerve and the lesser palatine branches of the sphenopalatine ganglion.

What is the lymphatic drainage of the palatine tonsils?

Lymph drains into the upper deep cervical lymph nodes, particularly the jugulodigastric node (also known as the tonsillar node), which often becomes enlarged during tonsillitis.

What are some key clinical conditions related to the palatine tonsils?

Common conditions include acute tonsillitis (often in children, causing fever and sore throat), follicular tonsillitis (with pus-filled crypts as yellowish spots), and post-tonsillectomy bleeding (often from the paratonsillar vein).

How do the palatine tonsils develop embryologically?

They develop from the endoderm of the 2nd pharyngeal pouch. Endodermal buds canalize to form tonsillar crypts, with mesenchymal lymphocytes surrounding them to form follicles; the crypta magna is a remnant of this pouch.

Palatine Tonsils – Anatomy, Blood Supply & Clinical

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