Anatomy of the external nose

The nose is the initial part of the airways of the respiratory system and consists of two main parts: the external nose and the nasal cavity.

The external nose (nasus externus) consists of organs covered with skin, which are a specific feature of both each human and the human as a species. It resembles a triangular pyramid, the back plane of which is adjacent to the face

Each person’s external nose has its individual anatomical features, which determine its social function. It allows to successfully identify the faces of familiar people.

From the point of view of topography, this organ is located on the face in the nasal region (regio nasalis), which is delimited by the following structures:

Superiorly: glabella (glabella)

This is the area located between the medial parts of the superciliary arches (arcus superciliaris);

Inferiorly: the horizontal line drawn through the base of the nasal septum;
Laterally: the nasobuccal and nasolabial folds.

Anatomically, the external nose is divided into several parts, each of which has its own features.

1. The superior narrow part of the nose, located between the orbits, is called the root of the nose (radix nasi).

2. Posteriorly, it continues into the dorsum of the nose (dorsum nasi), which gradually passes into the apex of the nose (apex nasi).

3. On the sides of it are the alae of the nose (alae nasi). They are the inferolateral sections, which in turn are the borders of the nostrils of the nose.

4. Nostrils (nares) are openings in the inferior part of the nose through which air enters the nasal cavities. They are separated from each other by the membranous part of the nasal septum.

The bony skeleton of the external nose consists of paired bones forming the lateral walls, which include nasal bones, frontal processes of the maxilla, and the anterior part of the bony nasal septum formed by unpaired bones, which include the anterior part of the vomer and the anterior part of the inferior part of the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone.

1. Nasal bone (os nasale)

2. Maxilla (maxilla)

3. Vomer (vomer)

4. Perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone (lamina perpendicularis ossis ethmoidalis)

The nasal bones, the frontal processes of the maxilla, and the maxilla itself form the piriform aperture (apertura piriformis).

Cartilaginous formations forming two symmetrical and mobile halves adhere to its edges.

They include:

1. Lateral nasal cartilage (cartilago lateralis nasi), which is a large, paired cartilage located directly under the nasal bone. It forms the dorsum of the nose together with the nasal bones.

2. Major alar cartilage (cartilago alaris major), which is a paired cartilage located under the lateral cartilage. It forms the nostrils and consists of the lateral and medial crura (crus lateralis et medialis).

3. Minor alar cartilage (cartilago alaris minor), which lies behind the major alar cartilage. Usually there are three on each side. These structures form the alae of the nose.

4. Septal nasal cartilage (cartilago septi nasi), which is a large unpaired cartilage that forms a large anterior part of the nasal septum.

5. Accessory nasal cartilages (cartilagines accessoriae nasi), which are not always present. They lie between the lateral cartilage and the major alar cartilage of the nose.

The cartilages are not tightly connected to each other and there are areas of adipose tissue in the spaces between them.

The nose is covered with skin rich in sebaceous glands, with subcutaneous fat. Under them lie the muscles of the nose, which belong to the facial muscles.

1. The nasalis muscle (m. nasalis), which consists of two parts. Its transverse part compresses the cartilaginous part of the nose, and the alar part lowers the ala of the nose.

Nasalis muscle (m.nasalis) - transverse part

2. Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle (m. levator labii superioris alaque nasi)

3. Procerus muscle (m. procerus), which forms transverse folds over the bridge of the nose

4. Depressor septi nasi muscle (m. depressor septi nasi), which lowers the cartilaginous part of the nasal septum.

Dictionary