Salpingopharyngeus muscle

Last revised by Sarah Robertson on 19 Nov 2017

The salpingopharyngeus is a muscle of the head and neck, and one of the inner longitudinal muscles of the pharynx. The paired slender muscles create vertical ridges of mucous membrane in the posterior pharyngeal wall descending from the medial ends of the Eustachian tubes to the called the salpingopharyngeal folds.

Summary

  • origin: inferior aspect of the cartilaginous (medial) part of Eustachian tube and around its orifice
  • insertion: interdigitates with palatopharyngeus 
  • innervation: pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve (CN X) contributing to the pharyngeal plexus
  • action: opens the pharyngeal orifice of the Eustachian tube during swallowing but also aids the other longitudinal pharyngeal muscles during swallowing and speaking by elevating the larynx and shorten the pharynx

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