Pterygopalatine Fossa Flashcards
Where is the pterygopalatine fossa located?
Deep to infratemporal region
What is in the pterygopalatine fossa?
- CN V2
- Third part of maxillary artery
- Pterygopalatine ganglion
- Nerves that go too and from ganglion
What is the pterygomaxillary fissure?
Space between the pterygoid plate of sphenoid and posterior part of maxilla
What goes through the pterygomaxillary fissure?
Maxillary artery from the infratemporal fossa to the pterygopalatine fossa
What is the inferior orbital fissure?
- Groove in the maxilla
- Goes to the floor of the orbit roof of the maxillary sinus
What is the sphenopalatine foramen?
- Body of sphenoid meets notch in palatine
- Goes to the nasal cavity
What is the pharyngeal canal?
- Located at the junction of the posterior and medial walls of the fossa
- Goes to the nasopharynx and auditory tube
What is the pterygoid canal?
- Located behind the base of the sphenoid sinus
- Goes to the nasal cavity
What is the foramen rotundum?
How CN V2 enters the pterygopalatine fossa from the middle cranial fossa
Maxillary artery
Goes from the infratemporal fossa, to the pterygomaxillary fissure, to the pterygopalatine fossa
How does the posterior superior alveolar nerve exit the pterygopalatine fossa to enter the infratemporal fossa?
Pterygomaxillary fissure
What enters the posterior superior alveolar canals/foramina?
Posterior superior alveolar nerve
What does the posterior superior alveolar nerve supply?
- Maxillary sinus
- Alveolar process to supply posterior maxillary teeth
How does the infraorbital artery leave the pterygopalatine fossa?
Inferior orbital fissure
What branches from the infraorbital artery
- Orbital branches
- Anterior superior alveolar artery
What does the infraorbital foramen supply? What foramen does it go through to do this?
- Face
- Infraorbital foramen
Orbital branches
Small branches to the orbit
What does the anterior superior alveolar artery supply?
- Maxillary sinus
- Alveolar process near incisors
How does the descending palatine artery leave the pterygopalatine fossa>
Palatine canal
What does the descending palatine artery branch into?
- Greater palatine artery
- Lesser palatine artery
What foramen does the greater palatine foramen go through? What does it supply?
- Greater palatine foramen
- Hard palate
What does the greater palatine artery anastomoses with? Where?
- Nasopalatine artery
- Through the incisive foramen
What foramen does the lesser palatine foramen go through? What does it supply?
- Lesser palatine foramen
- Soft palate
What branches from the sphenopalatine artery?
- Lateral posterior nasal arteries
- Medial posterior nasal arteries
What foramen does the sphenopalatine artery exit?
Sphenopalatine foramen
Where does the lateral posterior nasal arteries go?
Lateral nasal wall
Where does the medial posterior nasal arteries go?
Ramify on septum
After giving rise to two branches, the sphenopalatine artery continues alongside what nerve?
Nasopalatine nerve