Medicine:Killian's dehiscence

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Killian's dehiscence
Musculusconstrictorpharyngisinferior.png
Muscles of the pharynx and cheek. (Constrictor pharyngis inferior visible at bottom left.)
Gray1031.png
Muscles of the pharynx, viewed from behind, together with the associated vessels and nerves. (Inf. const. labeled at bottom center.)
Anatomical terminology

Killian's dehiscence (also known as Killian's triangle) is a triangular area in the wall of the pharynx between the cricopharyngeus and thyropharyngeus which are the two parts of the inferior constrictors(also see Pharyngeal pouch). It can be seen as a locus minoris resistentiae. Similar triangular area between circular fibres of cricopharyngeus and longitudinal fibres of esophagus is Lamier's triangle or Lamier-hackermann's area.

Clinical significance

It represents a potentially weak spot where a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum (Zenker's diverticulum) is more likely to occur.[1]

Eponym

It is named after the German ENT surgeon Gustav Killian.[2]

References

  1. Chaplin JM, Stewart IA (July 1994). "Use of surgical stapling device in excision of pharyngeal diverticulum". ANZ Journal of Surgery 64 (7): 501–2. doi:10.1111/j.1445-2197.1994.tb02266.x. PMID 8010924. 
  2. synd/3707 at Who Named It?