What is the oropharynx and what is its main function?

The oropharynx is the middle section of the pharynx, located posterior to the oral cavity. Its primary function is to serve as a shared conduit for both air and food during breathing and swallowing.

What are the boundaries of the oropharynx?

The oropharynx is bounded superiorly by the undersurface of the soft palate, inferiorly by the upper border of the epiglottis, anteriorly by the oropharyngeal isthmus and posterior tongue, and posteriorly by the bodies of C2 and upper C3 vertebrae.

What are the key anatomical features found in the oropharynx?

Key features include the palatine tonsils in the tonsillar fossae, the lingual tonsil on the posterior tongue, the upper part of the epiglottis, and the glossoepiglottic folds with epiglottic valleculae.

What is the oropharyngeal isthmus and what is its function?

The oropharyngeal isthmus is the arched opening between the oral cavity and oropharynx, bordered by the soft palate, posterior tongue, and palatoglossal folds. It closes during swallowing to prevent food from regurgitating back into the mouth.

What clinical complications can occur in the oropharynx?

Because the oropharynx is a shared passage for air and food, complications can include choking when food enters the respiratory tract, and gastric distension with belching when air enters the digestive tract.

How does the oropharynx relate to other pharyngeal regions?

The oropharynx is the middle section of the pharynx, positioned between the nasopharynx above and the laryngopharynx below. It connects to the oral cavity anteriorly through the oropharyngeal isthmus.

Oropharynx – Boundaries, Tonsils & Gag Reflex