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Woodruff's plexus

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Woodruff's plexus was discovered by George H. Woodruff in 1949. The plexus is located below the posterior end of the inferior concha, on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity.[1][2][3] He described it as the naso-nasopharyngeal plexus.[1]

Structure

Woodruff's plexus is located on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity below the posterior end of the inferior nasal concha (turbinate).[3] The plexus contains both arteries and veins which lie in a thin mucosa.[4] The major arteries supplying the plexus are the sphenopalatine artery and ascending pharyngeal artery.[5] The internal maxillary vein is also within the plexus.

Clinical significance

Bleeding

A nosebleed (epistaxis) usually occurs in the anterior part of the nose from an area known as Kiesselbach's plexus which consists of arteries. Woodruff's plexus is a venous plexus in the posterior part and a nosebleed here accounts for only between 5 and 10 per cent of nosebleeds. Older adults are most often affected.[6]

More information Local, Systemic ...

[7]

Treatment

Posterior nasal packing is needed for posterior epistaxis.

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References

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