Functional anatomy of the premaxillary area

Although the gross anatomy of the nasal septum is well-understood, the exact anatomy of its ventrocaudal or premaxillary area is not. More precisely, there is some confusion about the course of the perichondrial and periosteal fibers in this particular region. This paper considers the detailed anatomy of the chondro-spinal and chondro-premaxillary junction. Six cadaver noses were sectioned in the coronal (n = 4) or the transverse (n = 2) plane. The sections were stained according to the Mallory-Cason and the Haematoxylin-Eosine method and examined by light microscopy. At the chondrospinal junction a relatively wide suture line filled with loose connective tissue fibers was found. The caudal margin of the cartilaginous septum is flanked by paraseptal cartilages. These broaden the septal base to fit onto the flat cranial surface of the anterior nasal spine. At the chondro-premaxillary junction a narrow suture with several crossing fibers between the perichondrium and periosteum was seen. Paraseptal cartilages, surrounded by their own perichondrium, cover the periphery of this area. It was concluded that the chondro-spinal junction provides stabilization while allowing some mobility of the septum, whereas the chondro-premaxillary complex stabilizes the septum without allowing mobility.