PP Fossa

Question 1

Anterior wall of PP fossa?

Answer 1

Posterior surface of maxilla

Question 2

Medial wall of PP Fossa?

Answer 2

Vertical plate of the palatine bone

Question 3

Posterior wall and roof of PP fossa?

Answer 3

Sphenoid bone (greater wing)

Question 4

Lateral boundary of PP Fossa

Answer 4

Pterygomaxillary fissure

Question 5

Describe the “looking in a closet” view of the PP Fossa.

Answer 5

Lateral view of the skull: The open door of the closet is the pterygomaxillary fissure. The back wall of the closet has a window, the sphenopalatine foramen.

Question 6

What opening leads from the PP Fossa to the Orbit?

Answer 6

Inferior Orbital Fissure

Question 7

WHat two bones form the inferior orbital fissure?

Answer 7

Sphenoid and Maxilla

Question 8

The 3 posterior communications of the PP Fossa are called what and go where? What’s in them?

Answer 8

Foramen Rotundum- Middle Cranial Fossa - V3

Pharyngeal canal to the nasopharynx - Pharyngeal N and Pharyngeal A.

Pterygoid canal - MCF- Artery and nerve of the pterygoid canal (Greater Petrosal)

Question 9

If you see an anterior branch of the Maxillary artery going into bone, what is it?

Answer 9

Posterior Superior Alveolar

Question 10

From the PP Fossa, trace the path and foramina of the infraorbital artery. What does it run with?

Answer 10

The Infraorbital Artery arises from the Maxillary in the PP Fossa, exits anteriorly through the Inferior Orbital Fissure, and runs along the Infraorbital groove canal, then exits the Infraorbital foramen.

The Infraorbital Nerve is there too, running with it.

Question 11

Trace the path of the Descending Palatine artery.

Answer 11

The Descending Palatine artery arises within the PP Fossa from the Maxillary Artery. It exits inferiorly, running through the Palatine canal, where it splits to form the Lesser Palatine and Greater Palatine arteries, which run through foramina of the same names.

The greater palatine artery runs anteriorly through the greater palatine canal to supply the hard palate, and the lesser palatine supplies the soft palate.

Question 12

Describe the path of the Sphenopalatine Artery. (A little review)

Answer 12

Arises from Maxillary in PP Fossa. Runs through the Sphenopalatine foramen into the nasal cavity.
Gives off Posterior Lateral Nasal Branches to the wall, and then distributes along the septum.

Question 13

What nerves form the superior dental plexus? Inferior Dental plexus?

Answer 13

Superior= Posterior. middle, and anterior superior Alveolar Nerves. The maxillary gives off posterior branches and Infraorbital nerve give off medial and anterior branches.

Inferior= Inferior Alveolar Nerve

Question 14

Name the Ganglionic branches of the Maxillary Nerve (V2). (Associate with the PP ganglion, but don’t necessarily synapse there)

Answer 14

Greater and Lesser Palatine NN
Pharyngeal
Nasopalatine
Lateral Nasal Branches

Question 15

With what other spaces does the PP Fossa Communicate?

Answer 15

1-Nasal Cavity via Sphenopalatine foramen
2-Orbit via Inferior Orbital Fissure
3-Middle Cranial Fossa via Rotundum and the Pterygoid canal (in medial Pterygoid plate)
4-Infratemporal Fossa via the Pterygomaxillary Fissure
5- Nasopharynx via the pharyngeal canal

Question 16

Does V2 innervate any muscles? What fibers does it carry? (not including hitchhikers)

Answer 16

No. The Maxillary nerve (V2) carries GSA fibers.

Question 17

Does the Maxillary nerve have a functional relationship with the PP ganglion?

Answer 17

No. Some of its fibers just pass through it without synapsing.

Question 18

What nerves are involved with the PP ganglion?

Answer 18

Fibers from the Greater Petrosal nerve (preganglionic parasymp from VII) synapse with postganglionics here.

Question 19

Describe the path of the Maxillary Nerve

Answer 19

Arises from the Trigeminal (semilunar) ganglion in the cranial cavity, then enters the PP Fossa through Foramen Rotundum.

Runs anteriorly through the Fossa, giving off branches, then emerges on the face as the INFRAORBITAL nerve, running in the infraorbital groove and canal.

Question 20

True or False: The nasopalatine nerve passes out of the PP ganglion.

Answer 20

TRUE

Question 21

Name the 4 general functions/fiber types of the Facial Nerve.

Answer 21

1. BE to muscles of facial expression
2. GVE parasympathetic to Lacrimal, Sublingual, And Submandibular glands, and mucus glands of face in general…
3. GSA to external ear
4. SA to ant 2/3 of tongue via Chordae Tympani and soft palette.

Question 22

Describe the general pathway of the Greater Petrosal Nerve. (not including fiber types)

Answer 22

Arises from the Facial nerve within the bony facial canal, associated with the geniculate ganglion, then enters the MCF via the hiatus for the greater petrosal nerve.

It enters the pterygoid canal after passing through the cartilage that composes foramen lacerum.

Once in the PP Fossa, some of the fibers synapse in the PP ganglion, then follow branches of V2 and V3 to reach the lacrimal gland.

Other fibers pass through the ganglion and carry taste to the soft palate.

Question 23

Cell bodies for afferent taste neurons from the soft palette are located where?

Answer 23

Soft Palate is supplied by the Greater Petrosal nerve, so sensory cell bodies (SA) are in the Geniculate ganglion. (pseudo unipolar sensory)

Question 24

What 2 nerves join to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal?

Answer 24

Greater Petrosal and Deep Petrosal

Question 25

What types of nerve fibers run in the nerve of the pterygoid canal? Where are their cell bodies located?

Answer 25

Preganglionic Parasympathetic via greater petrosal with cell bodies in brainstem nuclei.

Postganglionic Sympathetic via the Deep Petrosal N, with cell bodies in the SUPERIOR CERVICAL GANGLION

SA fibers via the greater petrosal nerve with cell bodies in the GENICULATE GANGLION.