Role of the levator veli palatini muscle in movement of the lateral pharyngeal wall.

In order to examine both the site and the muscle responsible for inward movement of the lateral pharyngeal wall, the following 3 observations were made. 1. Radiographic observation of the lateral wall by pasting a lead marker to the torus tubarius. 2. Cinematographic analysis of the lateral wall movement in relation to the velar elevation. 3. Anatomical observation of the levator muscle and the torus. Our conclusion was that the lateral wall movement was an inward displacement of the torus tubarius caused by contraction of the levator veli palatini muscle.