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The palatine tonsils are located in the isthmus of the fauces, between the palatoglossal arch and the palatopharyngeal arch of the soft palate.. The palatine tonsil is one of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT), located at the entrance to the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts to protect the body from the entry of exogenous material through mucosal sites.
The tonsils are a set of lymphoid organs facing into the aerodigestive tract, which is known as Waldeyer's tonsillar ring and consists of the adenoid tonsil (or pharyngeal tonsil), two tubal tonsils, two palatine tonsils, and the lingual tonsils. These organs play an important role in the immune system.
Between these two arches on the lateral walls of the oropharynx is the tonsillar fossa which is the location of the palatine tonsil. [3] The arches are also known together as the palatine arches. Each arch runs downwards, laterally and forwards, from the soft palate to the side of the tongue.
The human palatine tonsils (PT) are covered by stratified squamous epithelium that extends into deep and partly branched tonsillar crypts, of which there are about 10 to 30. [1] The crypts greatly increase the contact surface between environmental influences and lymphoid tissue.
The tonsillar branches of glossopharyngeal nerve supply the palatine tonsil, forming around it a plexus from which filaments are distributed to the soft palate and fauces, where they communicate with the palatine nerves.
The throat contains various blood vessels, pharyngeal muscles, the nasopharyngeal tonsil, the tonsils, the palatine uvula, the trachea, the esophagus, and the vocal cords. [1] [2] Mammal throats consist of two bones, the hyoid bone and the clavicle. The "throat" is sometimes thought to be synonymous for the fauces. [3]
Vincent described a fusospirochetal infection of the pharynx and palatine tonsils, causing "ulcero-membranous pharyngitis and tonsillitis", [5] which later became known as Vincent's angina. Later in 1904, Vincent described the same pathogenic organisms in "ulceronecrotic gingivitis ".
Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure in which both palatine tonsils are fully removed from the back of the throat. [1] The procedure is mainly performed for recurrent tonsillitis, throat infections and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). [1]