
What is the semilunar hiatus?
The semilunar hiatus or hiatus semilunaris, is a crescent-shaped groove in the lateral wall of the nasal cavity just inferior to the ethmoid bulla. It is the location of the openings for maxillary sinus.
Where do the paranasal sinuses drain?
The paranasal sinuses drain into the nasal cavity. The frontal, maxillary and anterior ethmoidal sinuses open into the middle meatus. The location of this opening is marked by the semilunar hiatus, a crescent-shaped groove on the lateral walls of the nasal cavity.
Where does the anterior ethmoidal sinus drain into?
Following the curve anteriorly leads into the infundibulum of the frontonasal duct, which drains the frontal sinus . The anterior ethmoidal cells of the ethmoidal sinus open into the front part of the infundibulum as well. In slightly over 50% of subjects, this is directly continuous with the frontonasal duct from the frontal air sinus.
What is the largest ostium in the semilunar hiatus?
The ostium for the maxillary sinus opens posteriorly in this groove and is the largest ostium within the semilunar hiatus. This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 995 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

What is the semilunar hiatus?
The hiatus semilunaris (or semilunar hiatus) is a crescent-shaped groove in the lateral wall of the nasal cavity just inferior to the ethmoidal bulla. It is the location of the openings for the frontal sinus, maxillary sinus, and anterior ethmoidal sinus.
Does frontal sinus drain into hiatus semilunaris?
The frontal sinus drains by the infundibulum or the frontonasal duct into the hiatus semilunaris of the middle meatus. Infection of the frontal sinus is often associated with infection of the maxillary sinus as their openings are very close to each other.
What paranasal sinus drains to the middle meatus through the hiatus semilunaris?
Removal of the anterior portion of the uncinate process exposes the ethmoid infundibulum. In this specimen, the superior compartment of the FSDP drains directly into the ethmoid infundibulum, which then drains through the hiatus semilunaris to the middle meatus.
Is the semilunar hiatus in the middle meatus?
On the middle meatus it is a rounded elevation, the bulla ethmoidalis, and below and in front of this is a curved cleft, the hiatus semilunaris.
Where does the frontal and sphenoid sinuses drain into?
The sphenoid sinus is divided by an intersinus septum as in the frontal sinus. The sphenoid sinus drains into the nose above the superior turbinate. The lateral wall of the sphenoid sinus contains the medial wall of the optic canal and the internal carotid artery.
Where does maxillary sinus drain into?
middle meatusThe maxillary sinus drains into the middle meatus, with the ostium of the sinus opening into the nose on the superior aspect of the medial wall of the sinus, which may explain the high incidence of maxillary sinusitis.
Which paranasal sinus opens into the semilunar hiatus?
The semilunar hiatus or hiatus semilunaris, is a crescent-shaped groove in the lateral wall of the nasal cavity just inferior to the ethmoid bulla. It is the location of the openings for maxillary sinus.
Which sinuses drain into which meatus?
The basal lamella represents the division between the anterior and posterior ethmoidal cells. Anterior ethmoidal cells drain into the middle meatus via the ethmoid infundibulum. Posterior ethmoidal cells, which are fewer in number, drain into the superior meatus.
What is the drainage path of the sinuses?
Both air and mucus flow through your sinuses and drain into your nose, through tiny openings called ostia (or singular, ostium). Little hairs called cilia help the mucus move through the sinus cavities. The mucus from the sinuses drains into your nasal passages and then down the back of your throat to be swallowed.
Where does middle meatus drain into?
The anterior cells drain into the semilunar hiatus of the middle meatus through the ethmoid infundibulum or the frontonasal duct. The most anterior ethmoid cell is called agger nasi cell.
What are the three openings in the semilunar hiatus from anterior to posterior?
lacrimal canaliculi.lacrimal sac.nasolacrimal duct.
Where does the hiatus semilunaris open?
The hiatus semilunaris is a semicircular shaped opening located on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity. It is a component of the ostiomeatal complex and serves as the opening for the frontal and maxillary sinuses and the anterior ethmoid air cells.
Where do frontal and maxillary sinuses drain?
The middle and anterior ethmoid, maxillary and frontal sinuses drain inferior to the middle concha into the middle meatus. The nasolacrimal duct drains into the inferior meatus. The sphenoidal sinus drains into the sphenoethmoidal recess superior to the superior concha.
What drains into the frontal sinus?
The middle meatus drains the frontal, anterior ethmoid, and maxillary sinuses. The inferior meatus contains the orifice of the nasolacrimal duct. The ethmoid infundibulum is a pyramidal space that facilitates the drainage of the maxillary, anterior ethmoid, and frontal sinuses.
How do you drain fluid from frontal sinus?
How To Drain Your SinusesUsing a humidifier or vaporizer.Taking a hot shower or steam bath.Hydrating with warm fluids, such as chicken noodle soup or tea.Use a nasal nebulizer as part of your daily nasal hygiene routine. ... Applying hot facial compresses.More items...
What is special about the frontal sinus?
There are two, large frontal sinuses in the frontal bone, which forms the lower part of the forehead and reaches over the eye sockets and eyebrows. The frontal sinuses are lined with cells that make mucus to keep the nose from drying out. Anatomy of the paranasal sinuses (spaces between the bones around the nose).
What is the bulge in the lateral wall of the nasal cavity?
This is a bulge in the lateral wall formed by the middle ethmoidal sinus itself. The posterior ethmoidal sinuses open out at the level of the superior meatus. The only structure not to empty out onto the lateral walls of the nasal cavity is the sphenoid sinus. It drains onto the posterior roof.
What are the three conchae?
The are three conchae – inferior, middle and superior. They project into the nasal cavity, creating four pathways for the air to flow. These pathways are called meatuses: Inferior meatus – between the inferior concha and floor of the nasal cavity. Middle meatus – between the inferior and middle concha.
What are the three divisions of the nasal cavity?
The nasal cavity is the most superior part of the respiratory tract. It extends from the vestibule of the nose to the nasopharynx, and has three divisions: Vestibule – the area surrounding the anterior external opening to the nasal cavity.
What is the nasal cavity?
Divisions. The nasal cavity is the most superior part of the respiratory tract. It extends from the vestibule of the nose to the nasopharynx, and has three divisions:
Which artery descends into the nasal cavity?
The ethmoidal arteries are branch of the ophthalmic artery. They descend into the nasal cavity through the cribriform plate
Where do the paranasal sinuses drain?
The paranasal sinuses drain into the nasal cavity. The frontal, maxillary and anterior ethmoidal sinuses open into the middle meatus. The location of this opening is marked by the semilunar hiatus, a crescent-shaped groove on the lateral walls of the nasal cavity.
Where are conchae found in the nasal cavity?
Fig 1 – Sagittal section of the nasal cavity. Conchae are present on the lateral walls
