Infratemporal and Pterygopalatine Fossae

Question 1

name the boundaries of the infratemporal fossa

Answer 1

• roof
  
  • greater wing of sphenoid
  • temporal bone
• anterior wall
  
  • maxilla
• posterior wall
  
  • styloid process
  • mastoid process
  • stylomastoid foramen
• medial wall
  
  • lateral pterygoid plate
• lateral wall
  
  • ramus of mandible

Question 2

name the contents of the infratemporal fossa

Answer 2

• blood supply
  
  • maxillary artery
  • pterygoid venous plexus
• nerves
  
  • mandibular division of CN V
  • chorda tympani
  • otic ganglion
• muscles
  
  • lateral and medial pterygoid muscles
  • temporal muscle

Question 3

describe the maxillary artery and its branches

Answer 3

• terminal branch of the external carotid artery
• supplies the deeper structures of the face
• branches are arranged mainly around the lateral pterygoid muscle
• divided into 3 parts:
  
  • 1st before the muscle
    
    • gives branches that enter foramina
  • 2nd associated with the muscle
    
    • supplies muscles
  • 3rd enters the pterygopalatine fossa
    
    • gives branches that go through bone

Question 4

describe the 1st part of the maxillary artery

Answer 4

• inferior alveolar a. travles with inf. alveolar n.
  
  • mandibular foramen
  • mandibular teeth
• middle meningeal a.
  
  • encircled by the auriculotemporal n.
  • enters foramen spinosum

Question 5

describe the 2nd part of the maxillary a.

Answer 5

Question 6

describe the 3rd part of the maxillary artery

Answer 6

Question 7

describe the venous connections of the face

Answer 7

• deep facial vein joins the pterygoid plexus
• maxillary vein continues from the pterygoid plexus
• angular vein becomes the facial vein and joins with the labial veins
• both the facial and maxillary veins drain into the retromandibular

Question 8

describe the pterygoid venous plexus

Answer 8

• receives:
  
  • middle meningeal v
  • branches from roof of oral cavity, nasal cavity, all teeth, paranasal sinuses, muscles of infratemporal fossa
  • branch from inf. ophthalmic v
• drains into:
  
  • facial v. to int. jugular v.
  • maxillary v. to retromandibular v.
• communicates with:
  
  • cavernous sinus via inferior opthalmic and emissary v

Question 9

Answer 9

Question 10

describe the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (V3)

Answer 10

• motor division
  
  • muscles of mastication
    
    • lateral and medial pterygoids, masseter, temporalis
    • mylohyoid and ant. belly of digastric
• sensory division
  
  • auriculotemporal nerve (TMJ and parotid gland)
  • inf. alveolar = lower teeth
  • lingual = ant. 2/3 tongue

Question 11

describe the innervation of chorda tympani

Answer 11

from facial nerve (CN VII)

• taste to ant. 2/3 tongue
• parasympathetic
  
  • secretomotor to submandibular and sublingual glands

Question 12

describe the innervation of the tempromandibular joint (TMJ) and what makes it unique

Answer 12

auriculotemporal nerve

• articular surfaces not covered with hyaline cartilage
• fibrocartilage resembles epiphyseal plate which allows it it withstand shear and compression forces

Question 13

name the boundaries of the pterygopalatine fossa

Answer 13

• roof: body of sphenoid
• medial: perpendicular plate of the palatine bone
• anterior: posterior wall of maxilla
• posterior: sphenoid

Question 14

name the contents of the pterygopalatine fossa

Answer 14

• 3rd part of maxillary artery
• maxillary n. (V2) and branches to midface, sinus and teeth, mucosa of palate, nasal cavity
• pterygopalatine ganglion

Question 15

Answer 15