Bone: Inferior nasal concha
Medial wall of left orbit. (Inferior nasal concha visible in center in yellow.)
Figure 1: Lateral wall of right nasal cavity showing inferior concha in situ. (pink)
Latin	concha nasi inferior, concha nasalis inferior
Gray's	subject #42 169
Articulations	ethmoid, maxilla, lacrimal, palatine

The inferior nasal concha (Inferior Turbinated Bone) is one of the turbinates in the nose. It extends horizontally along the lateral wall of the nasal cavity [Fig. 1] and consists of a lamina of spongy bone, curled upon itself like a scroll. Each inferior nasal concha is considered a facial pair of bones since they arise from the maxillae bones and projects horizontally into the nasal cavity. They are also termed 'inferior nasal turbinates' because they function similar to that of a turbine. As the air passes through the turbinates, the air is churned against these mucosa-lined bones in order to receive warmth, moisture and cleansing. Superior to inferior nasal concha are the middle nasal concha and superior nasal concha which arise from the cranial portion of the skull. Hence, these two are considered as a part of the cranial bones.

It has two surfaces, two borders, and two extremities.

Contents 1 Surfaces 2 Borders 3 Extremities 4 Ossification 5 Additional images 6 See also 7 External links 8 See also

[edit] Surfaces

The medial surface is convex, perforated by numerous apertures, and traversed by longitudinal grooves for the lodgement of vessels.

The lateral surface is concave, and forms part of the inferior meatus.

[edit] Borders

Its upper border is thin, irregular, and connected to various bones along the lateral wall of the nasal cavity.

It may be divided into three portions: of these,

• the anterior articulates with the conchal crest of the maxilla;
• the posterior with the conchal crest of the palatine;
• the middle portion presents three well-marked processes, which vary much in their size and form.
  • Of these, the anterior or lacrimal process is small and pointed and is situated at the junction of the anterior fourth with the posterior three-fourths of the bone: it articulates, by its apex, with the descending process of the lacrimal bone, and, by its margins, with the groove on the back of the frontal process of the maxilla, and thus assists in forming the canal for the nasolacrimal duct.
  • Behind this process a broad, thin plate, the ethmoidal process, ascends to join the uncinate process of the ethmoid; from its lower border a thin lamina, the maxillary process, curves downward and lateralward; it articulates with the maxilla and forms a part of the medial wall of the maxillary sinus.

The inferior border is free, thick, and cellular in structure, more especially in the middle of the bone.

[edit] Extremities

Both extremities are more or less pointed, the posterior being the more tapering.

[edit] Ossification

The inferior nasal concha is ossified from a single center, which appears about the fifth month of fetal life in the lateral wall of the cartilaginous nasal capsule.

[edit] Additional images

Lateral wall of nasal cavity, showing ethmoid bone in position.	Left maxilla. Nasal surface.	Right inferior nasal concha. Medial surface.	Right inferior nasal concha. Lateral surface.
The skull from the front.	Sagittal section of skull.	Roof, floor, and lateral wall of left nasal cavity.	The sphenopalatine ganglion and its branches.
Coronal section of nasal cavities.	Sagittal section of nose mouth, pharynx, and larynx.	Nasal conchae

[edit] See also

• Nasal concha

[edit] External links

• SUNY Figs 33:01-07
• Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 34256.000-1

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

v • d • e Bones of head and neck: the facial skeleton of the skull (TA A02.1.08-15, GA 2.156-177) Maxilla Surfaces Anterior: fossae (Incisive fossa, Canine fossa) · Infraorbital foramen · Anterior nasal spine Infratemporal: Alveolar canals · Maxillary tuberosity Orbital: Infraorbital groove · Infraorbital canal Nasal: Pterygopalatine canal Processes Zygomatic process Frontal process (Agger nasi, Anterior lacrimal crest) Alveolar process Palatine process (Incisive foramen, Incisive canals, Foramina of Scarpa, Incisive bone, Anterior nasal spine) Other Body of maxilla · Maxillary sinus Zygomatic Orbital process (Zygomatico-orbital) · Temporal process (Zygomaticotemporal) · Lateral process (Zygomaticofacial) Palatine Fossae Pterygopalatine fossa · Pterygoid fossa Plates Horizontal plate (Posterior nasal spine) · Perpendicular plate (Pterygopalatine canal, Sphenopalatine foramen, Pyramidal process) Processes Orbital · Sphenoidal Mandible Body external surface (Symphysis menti, Lingual foramen, Mental protuberance, Mental foramen, Mandibular incisive canal) · internal surface (Mental spine, Mylohyoid line, Sublingual fovea, Submandibular fovea) · Alveolar part of mandible Ramus Mylohyoid groove (Mandibular canal, Lingula) · Mandibular foramen · Angle Coronoid process · Mandibular notch · Condyloid process · Pterygoid fovea Minor/ nose Nasal bone: Internasal suture · Nasal foramina Inferior nasal concha: Ethmoidal process · Maxillary process Vomer: Wing Lacrimal: Posterior lacrimal crest · Lacrimal groove · Lacrimal hamulus

v • d • e Head and neck, upper RT: Nose (TA A06.1, GA 10.992) External nose Ala of nose nasal cartilages (of the septum, Greater alar, Lesser alar, Lateral nasal, Accessory nasal, Vomeronasal) Nasal cavity Openings Nasal vestibule · Nostril · Posterior nasal apertures Lateral wall Nasal concha/meati: Superior nasal concha · Middle nasal concha · Inferior nasal concha · Superior nasal meatus · Middle nasal meatus · Inferior nasal meatus Sphenoethmoidal recess · Ethmoid bulla · Agger nasi · Ethmoidal infundibulum · Semilunar hiatus · Maxillary hiatus Medial wall Nasal septum · Vomeronasal organ Mucous membrane Olfactory mucosa Paranasal sinuses Maxillary sinus · Sphenoidal sinuses · Frontal sinus · Ethmoid sinus Naso-pharynx Pharyngeal opening of auditory tube (Salpingopharyngeal fold, Salpingopalatine fold, Torus tubarius) · Pharyngeal tonsil · Pharyngeal recess respiratory system navs: anat nose, larynx/lower+thoracic cavity/physio/dev, noncongen/congen/tumors, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc, meds:R (1/2/3/5/6/7)

[edit] See also

• Bone terminology
• Terms for anatomical location
• Empty nose syndrome