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Turbinate’s Anatomy & Physiology

*** Before you begin, it is advised to go through the “NASAL CONCHAE (TURBINATE BONES)” section from the animated presentation of the nose (press on “nose tutorial” from the menu bar, and choose that section). After reviewing that section continue here.

What Are The Turbinates:


Fig 1(a): Coronal section of head (posterior view)

The nasal airway cavity is split by the septum into two airway cavities – left and right.
Each side has an inferior, middle and superior turbinate: Hence there are 3 pairs of turbinates in the nose: Inferior, Middle and Superior. But they differ in all aspects of location, size and somewhat – in function too. The turbinates are bony projections covered with thick mucosal tissues (harboring tremendous erectable capabilities, very much like the genitals), that project in an elongated “sea-shell” form (or like rolled up long sausages) into the nasal airway. The turbinates’ tissue is actually curved and curled around long bone shelves and hang suspended in the nasal airway.

Fig 1(b): Lateral cross section of head	Fig 1(c): Sagittal (side) – coronal, and coronal views of the pairs of the nasal turbinates.

From the anterior (front – looking from the nostrils) they resemble fine shaped tear drops, hanging in the cavities, connected by their narrowest part to the lateral wall. Study figures 2 – 6:

Fig 2: Front Mid face Cross Section: 3 - right superior turbinate, 5 - right middle, turbinate, 7 – right inferior turbinate.	Fig 3: right inferior turbinate (live, endoscope).
Fig 4: front (coronal view) section CT scan of nasal cavities. One can see how nicely the turbinates, especially the Inferior ones, curve and roll like a sea-shell, from a front (anterior) view.	Fig 5: coronal drawing of nasal cavities. S-septum, ST- superior turbinate, M-maxillary sinus, IT- inferior turbinate, T-middle turbinate, MM-middle meatus, F-frontal sinus, SM-superior meatus. E – ethmoid sinus.

An example of what a doctor can see when performing a regular anterior rhinoscopy examination (without an endoscope):


Fig 6: LEFT SIDED INFERIOR & MIDDLE TURBINATES

The most important ones, in terms of directing and controlling airflow and maintaining healthy nasal functions, are the Inferior (which are also the largest) and the Middle ones (the second largest). The superior turbinates protect the olfactory bulbs at the roof of the nose (just under the bone barrier between the brain and the nasal cavities – the “Cribriform Plate”) and harbors some smell receptors too.

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