Question #564

The middle pharyngeal constrictor arises from the hyoid bone (both the lesser and greater cornu) and the inferior stylohyoid ligament. It passes posteriorly overlapping the inferior border of the superior constrictor and inserting into the posterior pharyngeal raphe.

Middle constrictor is innervated by the cranial component of the accessory nerve via the pharyngeal plexus.

There are several important structures related to the middle pharyngeal constrictor.

• Superior: the glossopharyngeal nerve and stylopharyngeus pass between superior and middle constrictors to lie medial to the middle constrictor muscle.
• Inferior: internal branch of the superior laryngeal nerve and the laryngeal branch of the superior thyroid artery pass between the middle and inferior constrictors.

Killian’s dehiscence is the area between the two components of the inferior constrictor.

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