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PterygoPalatine Fossa

Brief Description

BonyLandmarks

Foramina

Content

Table of Contents

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• 

Brief Description

Shape: inverted cone

Location: lateral to the nasal cavity, anterior inferior

to the middle cranial fossa, inferior to the apex of the

orbit and medial to the infratemporal fossa.

Communication: It communicates with the orbit,

middle cranial fossa, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, oral

cavity and infratemporal fossa by means of two

fissures, two foramina and three canals.

Content : Maxillary nerve V2, the pterygopalatine

ganglion and the third part of the Maxillary artery.

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Bony landmarks (boundaries). 

Posterior:  

- root of the pterygoid plates- inferior surface of the greater

wing of the sphenoid bone

Anterior:  - posterior surface of the maxilla

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Superior:- posterior part of the inferior orbital fissure

- orbital process of the palatine bone-body of the sphenoid bone

Inferior:-apex leading in to the pterygopalatine canal

Medial:

- perpendicular plate of the palatine boneLateral:

- location of the pterygomaxillary fissure

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Foramina of Posterior WallVidian canal - connection to the middle cranial fossa on

the anterior side of the foramen lacerum

Contents: Vidian nerve formed by greater superficial

petrosal nerve and deep petrosal

Foramen rotundum-  connection to the middle cranialfossa.

Contents: Maxillary nerve V2

Pharyngeal canal-  connection to the nasopharynx.Contents: pharyngeal nerve (a branch of V2, coming off

the pterygopalatine ganglion) and pharyngeal artery (a

branch of the third part of the maxillary artery).

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Foramina in the superior wall 

Spheno-palatine foramen-connection to the nasal cavityContents: sphenopalatine (also known as nasopalatine)

nerve and sphenopalatine artery

Foramina on the anterior wall 

Inferior orbital fissure-connection with the orbit.

Contents: infraorbital nerve (a branch of V2), infraorbital

artery

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Inferiorly pterygopalatine fossacontinues into a canal:

 pterygopalatine canal -connection with the roof of the oral cavity. Pterygopalatine canal leads to the

greater and lesser palatine foramina.

Contents: descending palatine nerve ,descendingpalatine

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Laterally pterygopalatine fossa opens up

in to the infratemporal fossa through the

pterygo-maxillary fissure

Contents: maxillary artery enters

pterygopalatine fossa via Pterygo-maxillary

fissure. Posterior superior alveolar artery leaves

the maxillary artery in the pterygo-palatine

fossa but turns around and comes back out of the fossa via pterygo-maxillary fissure to enter

its foramen on the tuberosity of the maxilla.

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Resources

http://www.flashcardmachine.com/anatomy-of-pterygopalatinefossa.html 

http://quizlet.com/2070849/pterygopalatine-fossa-flash-cards/ 

http://www.gla.ac.uk/ibls/US/cal/anatomy/paranasal/pterygopalatinefossa.html 

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