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# Inferior nasal conchae

The inferior nasal conchae are curled bones on the side walls of the nose, covered by thick lining; they warm, moisten and filter the air we breathe.

Official name: Inferior nasal concha bone

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## What it is

Curled bones on the side walls of the nose, covered by a thick lining.

## What it does

Warm, moisten and filter the air we breathe.

## Key points

- The largest concha and a separate bone (the superior and middle conchae belong to the [ethmoid bone](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/ethmoid-bone/))
- The nasolacrimal duct opens under its front part in the inferior meatus, usually behind a mucosal fold (Hasner valve)
- Its thick mucosa contains erectile venous tissue that swells and shrinks in the nasal cycle, alternating congestion between the sides
- Enlarged inferior conchae are a common cause of nasal obstruction, often with allergic rhinitis

## Key facts

**Joints with**
Maxilla, lacrimal, ethmoid, palatine

**Landmarks**
Inferior meatus below it receives the nasolacrimal duct

## Relations

**Lateral**
Medial wall of the [maxilla](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/maxilla/) and the [maxillary sinus](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/maxillary-sinus/); it attaches to the conchal crests of the maxilla and [palatine bone](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/palatine-bone/)

**Above**
Middle meatus and middle concha; its lacrimal and ethmoidal processes reach the [lacrimal bone](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/lacrimal-bone/) and the uncinate process

**Below**
Inferior meatus and the floor of the [nasal cavity](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/nasal-cavity/)

**Medial**
[Nasal septum](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/nasal-septum/), across the airway

**Behind**
Choana; the nasopharyngeal opening of the [auditory tube](https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/auditory-tube/) lies just behind its posterior end

## How to find it

Anterior rhinoscopy with a speculum shows its front end as a pink, rounded swelling on the lateral wall; its full length is seen with a nasal endoscope.

## Examination

- Decongestant test: clear shrinkage after a topical decongestant suggests reversible mucosal swelling rather than bony enlargement
- Probe touch: the concha is pink and sensitive, while a nasal polyp is pale, grey and insensitive

## On imaging

Coronal CT shows the size of its bone and soft tissue, the inferior meatus and nearby variants such as a pneumatised middle concha (concha bullosa).

## Clinical notes

- Persistent obstruction is treated by inferior concha reduction (submucosal reduction or partial resection); over-aggressive removal is linked to empty nose syndrome
- The inferior meatus is the site for probing a blocked nasolacrimal duct in infants
- Its posterior end can enlarge and block the choana, mimicking a nasopharyngeal mass

## Related conditions

- [Allergic rhinitis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/allergic-rhinitis/)
- [Chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/chronic-rhinosinusitis-and-nasal-polyps/)

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## Which duct opens under the inferior nasal concha?

The nasolacrimal duct, in the inferior meatus under its front part, usually behind a mucosal fold (Hasner valve).

## How does the inferior nasal concha differ from the superior and middle conchae?

It is the largest concha and a separate bone; the superior and middle conchae belong to the ethmoid bone.

## What does clear shrinkage of the inferior nasal concha after a topical decongestant suggest?

Reversible mucosal swelling rather than bony enlargement.

## Which complication is linked to over-aggressive removal of the inferior nasal concha?

Empty nose syndrome.

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Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.

## Its names

**Official Latin (TA2)**
concha nasalis inferior TA2 740

**Official Spanish (DeCS)**
Cornetes Nasales DeCS D014420

**English (TA2)**
Inferior nasal concha bone

**Also called**
turbinates · inferior nasal turbinate · concha nasalis inferior ossea · os conchale nasale inferius · inferior nasal concha

Sources: Terminologia Anatomica (TA2); [DeCS](https://decs.bvsalud.org/es/ths/resource/?id=14819&filter=ths_termall&q=Turbinates); [Anatomy, Head and Neck, Nasal Concha](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546636/); [Anatomy, Head and Neck, Nasal Cavity](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544232/).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/anatomy/inferior-nasal-concha-bone/