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| Middle pharyngeal constrictor muscle | |
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| Muscles of the pharynx and cheek. (Constrictor pharyngis medius labeled at center left.) | |
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| Muscles of the pharynx, viewed from behind, together with the associated vessels and nerves. (Mid. constr. labeleda at center.) | |
| Latin | musculus constrictor pharyngis medius |
| Gray's | subject #244 1143 |
| Origin | hyoid bone |
| Insertion | pharyngeal raphe |
| Artery | |
| Nerve | pharyngeal plexus |
| Action | Swallowing |
The middle pharyngeal constrictor is a fanshaped muscle, smaller than the Inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle.
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Origin and insertion
It arises from the whole length of the upper border of the greater cornu of the hyoid bone, from the lesser cornu, and from the stylohyoid ligament.
The fibers diverge from their origin: the lower ones descend beneath the Constrictor inferior, the middle fibers pass transversely, and the upper fibers ascend and overlap the Constrictor superior.
It is inserted into the posterior median fibrous raphé, blending in the middle line with the muscle of the opposite side.
Action
As soon as the bolus of food is received in the pharynx, the elevator muscles relax, the pharynx descends, and the constrictores contract upon the bolus, and convey it downward into the esophagus.
Additional images
 Hyoid bone. Anterior surface. Enlarged. |
 Muscles of the neck. Lateral view. |
External links
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 20 February 2008, at 13:30.
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