The middle meatus

Abstract

In health, the middle meatus is an air-containing space between the middle turbinate and lateral nasal wall. Its dimensions are largely determined by the configuration of the middle turbinate itself and the relationship between the middle turbinate and the nasal septum. The uncinate process, hiatus semilunaris, ethmoidal bulla, hiatus semilunaris posterior, horizontal and vertical portions of the basal lamella, lateral surface of the middle turbinate, exit of infundibulum, the anterior and posterior fontanelle and, depending on the insertion of the uncinate process, drainage for the frontal sinus may all be visualized by simple endoscopy of the middle meatus. The middle meatus is the most significant space in the nasal cavity when considering the drainage of the paranasal sinuses.