Nasal Septum - Basic Anatomy

The nasal septum has a:

• Bony part
• Cartilaginous part
• Membranous part

 

Bony part: This is made up of:

• Posterosuperiorly: The perpendicular plate of the ethmoid.
• Posteroinferiorly: Vomer BONE

 

Cartilaginous part:

• Anteriorly quadrilateral septal cartilage
• Medial crus of the alar cartilage

 

Membranous part:

This is the anterior most part of the nasal septum lined by skin and fibrofatty tissue.

 

Articulation of the nasal septum:

• Superiorly: Sphenoid Rostrum
• Anteriorily: Nasal bones, nasal spine of frontal bones
• Inferiorily:

           - Nasal crest of the maxilla
           - Nasal crest palatine process
           - Anterior nasal spine of maxilla

Blood Supply:

 

The blood supply of the septum:

Arterial is made up of:

• Anterior Ethmoidal Artery
• Superior Labial Artery
• Sphenopalatine Artery
• Greater palatine artery

The above four arteries form a plexus in the anterio–inferior portion of the nasal septum called the Kiesselboch's plexus or Little area.

 

Venous Drainage:

• Sphenopalatine vein
• Anterior and posterior ethmoidal veins
• Anterior facial vein
• Cerebral veins

 

Nerve supply:

• Trigeminal nerve including anterior ethmoidal nerve.
• Sphenopalatines ganglion.