Espaço laterofaríngeo - Spatium lateropharyngeum; Spatium pharyngeum laterale; Spatium parapharyngeum

Descrição

The lateral pharyngeal space is shaped like a cone or a pyramid, inverted with its base at the sphenoid bone, with its apex inferiorly pointing to the greater cornu of the hyoid bone. It occupies the space between muscles of mastication and the muscles of deglutition. The term parapharyngeal space is widely used as a synonym of the lateral pharyngeal space, but the definition of the parapharyngeal space remains unclear because:

• In some sources the lateral pharyngeal space is divided  into 2 parts by the fascial condensation called aponeurosis of Zuckerkandl and Testut, joining the styloid process to the tensor veli palatini. These two compartments are named the pre-styloid and post-styloid compartments but then post-styloid is a synonym of the suprahyoid part of carotid space.
• In other sources, the parapharyngeal space refers to the continuation of the lateral pharyngeal space and the retropharyngeal space.

So here is described the lateral pharyngeal space, excluding the postyloid part of the paraphraryngeal space (so a lesion arising in the lateral pharygneal space space will displace the carotid space posteriorly and/or is completely surrounded by parapharyngeal space fat).

Relations

• medial to the masticator space
• lateral to the pharyngeal mucosal space
• anterior to the prevertebral space
• posterior to the medial pterygoid

Imagens