Levator veli palatini muscle
The levator veli palatini muscle is one of the 5 paired muscles of the soft palate. It is a cylindrical muscle which together form a V-shaped sling behind and above the soft palate.
Summary
- origin: it has two sites of origin:
- inferior surface of petrous temporal bone
- medial rim of the auditory (Eustachian) tube
- insertion: palatine aponeurosis between the two heads of palatopharyngeus muscle
- action: elevates and laterally deviates the soft palate. It also aids the tensor veli palatini muscle in opening the Eustachian tube on swallowing to allow pressure equalization of pressure between the middle ear and pharynx.
- innervation: pharyngeal plexus (from vagus nerve (CN X))
