Schwannoma of the Left Vagus Nerve

Schwannoma of the left Vagus Nerve

Assignment Details:

The Larynx and Pharynx

Clinical Scenario: Schwannoma of the left Vagus Nerve

Case Number: 5

Student Details:

- Name: Adele Jones

- Number: S00230606

Campus: Melbourne (4)

Tutor: Jodi Sita

Practical Class: Tuesday 10am -12pm

[image] http://www.therespiratorysystem.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Pharynx-300x197.jpg

The anatomical areas in question are the pharynx and larynx. Both structures are areas of focus because of their relationship to the Vagus nerve and its role in speech production and swallowing.

Major functions of the larynx:

To Produce vocalisations

To Provide an open airway

To act as a switch to direct both food and air to the correct passages

Major structures of the larynx:

The three paired cartilages include the arytenoids, cuneiforms, and corniculates and the three unpaired cartilages are the thyroid, cricothyroid and epiglottis.

Regions of the pharynx:

The nasopharynx

The oropharynx

The laryngopharynx

The innervation of these structures comes from the Vagus nerve.

[image] http://www.therespiratorysystem.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Larynx-Diagram-300x210.jpg

The Vagus Nerve

[image] www.winkingskull.com @ Thieme

The Vagus nerve is the tenth (CN X) cranial nerve. It originates in the Medulla Oblongata and extends from here down to the colon, making it one of the most extensive cranial nerves.

The Vagus nerve consists of three types of fibers;

Motor fibers

Sensory fibers

Parasympathetic fibers

Outcome

The Vagus Nerve cont.

[image] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/Larynx_external_en.svg/250px-Larynx_external_en.svg.png

A Schwannoma is a tumor that arises in the Schwann cells, or myelin sheath, of a peripheral nerve.

Meningeal branch

Auricular branch

Pharyngeal branch*

Branches to the carotid body

Superior laryngeal nerve* external/ internal

Recurrent laryngeal nerve*

Cardiac branches

*These nerves can all be said to have an association with speech production due to these nerves being responsible for the innervation of the muscles of the velum, pharynx and larynx.

[image] https://openi.nlm.nih.gov/imgs/512/209/3149663/PMC3149663_405_2011_1491_Fig5_HTML.png?keywords=schwannoma

[image] http://www.mayoclinic.org/-/media/kcms/gbs/patient-consumer/images/2013/11/12/13/27/periph-nerve-tumors-bdyjpg.jpg

[image] Adapted from an illustration by Jkwchui, CC BY-SA 3.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons

Motor Innervation of velar and pharyngeal constrictor muscles (swallowing)

Pharyngeal branch:

Superior Laryngeal branch (external):

Superior Laryngeal branch (internal):

Recurrent Laryngeal nerve:

Motor Innervation of inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscles and cricothyroid (pitch and resonance)

Sensory Innervation of larynx superior to the vocal cords, the anterior tongue and the epiglottis (taste)

Motor Innervation of the intrinsic laryngeal muscles (open/close vocal folds, tense/relax vocal folds)

Sensory Innervation of the mucosal surfaces within the larynx inferior to the vocal folds

[image] http://www.shifrinmd.com/sites/all/images/ebsln.jpg)

Reference List

Anatomy T.V http://www.anatomy.tv.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/html5ui/#/product/har_head_2014/type/Views/id/42954/layer/0/angle/0/structureID/1342704

Marieb, E.L, Mallat, J, Wilhelm, P.B, (2008). Human Anatomy (5th ed.) San Francisco: Pearson Education Inc.

Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F. (1999). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (4th ed.). Maryland, Baltimore: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

(2015). Schwannoma Retrieved from Credo http://search.credoreference.com.ezproxy2.acu.edu.au/content/entry/webstermed/schwannoma/0

Kahane, J. (2004). Anatomy of the Human Larynx. Retrieved from Credo http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/mitecd/anatomy_of_the_human_larynx/0