Pterygopalatine Fossa Flashcards
What is the pterygopalatine Fossa?
small space that is medial to the infratemporal fossa
What are the boundaries of the pterygopalatine Fossa?
Anterior- Posterior surface fo the maxilla
Posterior- Pterygoid process
Superior- Greater wing of the sphenoid
Medial- Perpendicular plate of the sphenoid
Which opening is on the lateral wall of the pterygopalatine fossa?
Pterygomaxillary fissure
Which opening is on the medial wall of the pterygopalatine fossa?
sphenopalatine foramen
Which opening is on the anterior wall of the pterygopalatine fossa?
inferior orbital fissure
Which opening is on the posterior wall of the pterygopalatine fossa?
pterygoid canal
Which opening is on the ceiling of the pterygopalatine fossa?
foramen rotundum
Does the pterygopalatine fossa has a floor?
No, just a passage to the greater and lesser palatine canals
Which nerve passes through the Pterygopalatine fossa and what ganglion hangs from it?
V2 passes through; the pterygopalatine ganglion hangs from it
What is the pterygopalatine ganglion?
It is a parasympathetic ganglion located in the pterygopalatine fossa
What types of fibers does the pterygopalatine ganglion receives?
- Sensory- from V2
- Preganglionic parasympathetic fibers- from the greater petrosal nerve
- Postganglionic sympathetic fibers -from the deep petrosal nerve
What nerves enter the Pterygopalatine ganglion?
- Greater Petrosal nerve
2. Nerve of the pterygoid
What is the greater petrosal nerve a branch of?
Branch of VII
What types of fiber does the greater petrosal nerve contain?
Preganglionic parasympathetic fibers
What nerve does the Greater Petrosal nerve join?
Deep petrosal nerve
What type of fibers does the Deep petrosal nerve carry?
Postganglionic sympathetic fibers from the superior cervical ganglion
What is formed when the greater petrosal nerve and the deep petrosal nerve are joined?
Pterygoid canal
Where does the nerve of the pterygoid canal terminate?
In the pterygopalatine ganglion
where do the preganglionic parasympathetic fibers of the nerve of the pterygoid canal synapse?
in the pterygopalatine ganglion
What happens when the postganglionic sympathetic fibers arrive at the pterygopalatine ganglion?
pass through
What are the branches of the pterygopalatine ganglion?
- Greater palatine nerve
- Lesser palatine nerve
- Nasopalatine nerve
- Posterolateral branches
- Pharyngeal nerve
What does the Maxillary nerve (V2) exit the middle cranial fossa through?
Foramen rotundum
What type of fibers are in the maxillary nerves?
Sensory only
Where does the maxillary nerve go after it exits the cranial fossa?
it enters the pterygopalatine fossa and travels in the upper part of the fossa, it enters the orbit through the inferior orbital fissure and changes name to the infraorbital nerve
What does the maxillary nerve become after it enters the inferior orbital fissure?
Infraorbital nerve- Runs through the floor of the orbit and emerges on the face
What are branches of V2?
- Intracranial branch
- Ganglionic branches
- Zygomatic nerve
- Posterior superior alveolar nerve
- Middle superior alveolar nerve
- Anterior superior alveolar nerve
What does the intracranial branch innervate?
Dura mater in the middle cranial fossa
what does the ganglionic branch connect V2 to?
Pterygopalatine ganglion
What type of fibers do the ganglionic branches have?
contains mostly sensory fibers plus a few postganglionic parasympathetic fibers
What does the zygomatic nerve divide into?
Zygomaticotemporal and zygomaticofacial nerves
What does the Zygomatic nerve supply?
Supply skin over temporal region and cheek
Which branch of the zygomatic nerve contains postganglionic parasympathetic fibers destined for the lacrimal gland?
Zygomaticotemporal nerve
What does the posterior superior alveolar nerve supply?
It supplies the maxillary molar teeth and mucosa of maxillary sinus
What does the middle superior alveolar nerve?
supplies maxillary premolars and mucosa of maxillary sinus
What does the Anterior superior alveolar nerve supplies?
supplies maxlilary incisors and canine teeth and mucosa of maxillary sinus
What Three branches of V2 supply the Maxillary Sinus?
- Posterior superior alveolar nerve
- Middle superior alveolar nerve
- Anterior superior alveolar nerve
What branch of V2 supplies the Maxillary molar teeth?
Posterior superior alveolar nerve
What branch of V2 supplies the Maxillary premolar?
Middle superior alveolar nerve
What branch of V2 supplies the Maxillary incisors?
Anterior superior alveolar nerve
The maxillary artery leaves the infratemporal fossa and enters the pterygopalatine fossa through what?
Pterygomaxillary fissure (Comes lateral and travel medial to this fissure)
What are the branches of the Pterygopalatine Part of the Maxillary Artery?
- Posterior superior alveolar artery
- Infraorbital artery
- Descending palatine artery
- Pharyngeal artery
- Artery of the Pterygoid canal
- Sphenopalatine Artery
What does the Posterior superior alveolar artery supply?
Supplies the maxillary molar and premolar teeth and mucosa of the maxillary sinus
Which nerve does the infraorbital artery accompany?
Infraorbital nerve
What branches does the infraorbital artery give off after it emerges on the face?
- Anterior superior alveolar artery
2. Terminal branches
What does the anterior superior alveolar artery of the infraorbital artery supply?
Supplies the maxillary incisors and canine teeth, and mucosa of maxillary sinus
What do the terminal branches of the infraorbital artery supply?
Supply structures on the face
What does the Descending palatine artery divide into?
Greater and lesser palatine arteries to hard and soft palate
Which canal does the Pharyngeal artery pass through with a branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion?
Palatovaginal canal
what does the pharyngeal artery supply?
supplies the mucosa of the nasopharynx and sphenoid sinus
what branch of the infraorbital artery Supplies the maxillary incisors and canine teeth?
Anterior superior alveolar artery
What branch of the Pterygopalatine part of the maxillary artery supplies the maxillary molar and premolar teeth?
Posterior superior alveolar artery
What branch of the pterygopalatine part of the maxillary artery supplies the walls and contents of the pterygoid canal and mucosa of the nasopharynx, auditory tube, and tympanic cavity?
Artery of the pterygoid canal
The sphenopalatine artery enters the nasal cavity through what foramen?
Sphenopalatine foramen
What branches does the sphenopalatine artery give off when it enters the nasal cavity?
- Posterolateral nasal branches
2. Posterior septal branches
What branch of the sphenopalatine artery supplies the posterior part of lateral wall of nasal cavity?
Posterolateral nasal branches
What branch of the sphenopalatine artery supplies the mucosa of the posterior part of the nasal septum?
Posterior septal branches
What is another name for the sphenopalatine artery?
Pterygopalatine artery
