Kiesselbach's plexus

The bones and cartilage of the nasal septum-- viewed from right side. Kiesselbach's plexus (not labelled) is the anterior part of the nasal septum where several arteries anastomose.

Overview

Kiesselbach's area, also Kiesselbach's plexus and Little's area, is a region in the anteroinferior part of the nasal septum, where the following arteries anastomose:

• anterior ethmoid artery,
• great palatine artery
• sphenopalatine artery and
• superior labial artery.

Significance/pathology

Eighty percent of nose bleeds (epistaxis) arise from Kiesselbach's area.

History

Kiesselbach's plexus is named after Wilhelm Kiesselbach (1839-1902) a German otolaryngologist.

See also

• Terms for anatomical location

External links

• Epistaxis - utmb.edu
• Nose Anatomy - emedicine.com
• Nasal Anatomy - fpnotebook.com