Infratemporal Fossa Flashcards
What muscles does the infratemporal fossa contain?
Medial and lateral pterygoids
Inferior fibres of temporalis
Nerves in the infratemporal fossa?
Mandibular - enters via foramen ovale, gives rise to branches
Chorda tympani - follows course of lingual nerve to tongue
Optic ganglion - fibres hitchhike on auriculotemporal nerve to parotid
Vasculature in the infratemporal fossa?
Maxillary artery - gives rise to MMA, travels into cranial cavity via foramen spinosum
Superficial temporal artery
Pterygoid venous plexus - drains the eye, connected to cavernous sinus
Maxillary vein and middle meninges like vein
Openings into the infratemporal fossa
Connects to cranial cavity superiorly, via foramen ovale and foramen spinosum
Connects to pterygopalatine fossa via pterygopalatine fissure
Inferior orbital fissure
What are the boundaries?
Lateral - Ramus of mandible
Medial - Lateral pterygoid plate of the sphenoid
Anterior - posterior surface of the maxilla
Posterior - carotid sheath
Floor - medial pterygoids
Roof - greater wing of sphenoid bone
