Pharyngobasilar fascia
The pharyngobasilar fascia is the part of the middle layer of deep cervical fascia that attaches the pharynx to the skull base. It originates between the mucosal and muscular layers of the pharynx and is the primary component of the pharyngeal wall above the level of the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle.
Gross anatomy
The pharyngobasilar fascia is a part of the middle layer of deep cervical fascia that surrounds the pharynx, along with the buccopharyngeal fascia.
The pharyngobasilar fascia provides structure to the lateral nasopharyngeal walls and helps maintain patency of the airway.
The sinus of Morgagni is a defect in the anterior aspect of the pharyngobasilar fascia, containing the eustachian tube and levator veli palatini muscle .
Attachments
- superiorly: basilar part of occipital bone and petrous temporal bone
- inferiorly: superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle
- anteriorly: posterior border of medial pterygoid plate
- posteriorly: midline pharyngeal raphe
Relations and/or Boundaries
The pharyngobasilar fascia lies between the levator and tensor veli palatini muscles . It is a submucosal plane, located between the mucosa and muscularis layers.
Related pathology
- nasopharyngeal carcinoma must breach the pharyngobasilar fascia to spread into the masticator and parapharyngeal spaces, which is at least T2 disease (TNM staging)
