Ostiomeatal complex
The ostiomeatal complex (OMC) or ostiomeatal unit (OMU), sometimes less correctly spelled as osteomeatal complex, is a common channel that links the frontal sinus, anterior ethmoid air cells and the maxillary sinus to the middle meatus, allowing airflow and mucociliary drainage.
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Gross anatomy
The ostiomeatal complex is composed of five structures:
- maxillary ostium: drainage channel of the maxillary sinus
- infundibulum: common channel that drains the ostia of the maxillary antra and anterior ethmoid air cells to the hiatus semilunaris
- ethmoid bulla: usually a single air cell that projects over the hiatus semilunaris
- uncinate process: hook-like process that arises from the posteromedial aspect of the nasolacrimal duct and forms the anterior boundary of the hiatus semilunaris
- hiatus semilunaris: final drainage passage; a region between the ethmoid bulla superiorly and free-edge of the uncinate process
Variant anatomy
There is a wide range of anatomical variants that affect the many structures that compose the ostiomeatal complex and are not pathological in themselves but their presence can result in disease. See main article, ostiomeatal narrowing due to nasal anatomical variation, for the complete list.
Related pathology
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
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cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
- fontanelle
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sutures
- calvarial
- facial
- frontozygomatic suture
- frontomaxillary suture
- frontolacrimal suture
- frontonasal suture
- temporozygomatic suture
- zygomaticomaxillary suture
- parietotemporal suture (parietomastoid suture)
- occipitotemporal suture (occipitomastoid suture)
- sphenofrontal suture
- sphenozygomatic suture
- spheno-occipital suture (not a true suture)
- lacrimomaxillary suture
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- internasal suture
- basal/internal
- skull landmarks
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- temporal bone
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- occipital bone
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facial bones
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cranial vault
- muscles of the head and neck
- muscles of the tongue (mnemonic)
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muscles of facial expression
- occipitalis muscle
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- buccolabial muscles
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- levator labii superioris alaeque nasalis muscle
- levator labii superioris muscle
- zygomaticus major muscle
- zygomaticus minor muscle
- malaris muscle
- levator anguli oris muscle
- risorius muscle
- depressors, retractors and evertors of the lower lip
- depressor labii inferioris muscle
- depressor anguli oris muscle
- mentalis muscle
- compound sphincter
- orbicularis oris muscle
- incisivus superior muscle
- incisivus inferior muscle
- muscle of mastication:
- elevators, retractors and evertors of the upper lip
- muscles of the middle ear
- orbital muscles
- muscles of the soft palate
- pharyngeal muscles
- suprahyoid muscles
- infrahyoid muscles
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- visceral space
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arterial supply
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common carotid artery
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common carotid artery
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arterial supply
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cranial nerves
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- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- trochlear nerve (CN IV)
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trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- trigeminal ganglion
- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII)
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vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- vestibular ganglion (Scarpa's ganglion)
- glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
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vagus nerve (CN X)
- superior laryngeal nerve
- recurrent laryngeal nerve (inferior laryngeal nerve)
- (spinal) accessory nerve (CN XI)
- hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
- parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck
- greater occipital nerve
- third occipital nerve
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cervical plexus
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ansa cervicalis
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- phrenic nerve
- contribution to the accessory nerve (CN XI)
- cutaneous branches
- muscular branches
- brachial plexus
- pharyngeal plexus
-
cranial nerves
- lymphatic drainage of the head and neck
- embryological development of the head and neck
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