Pterygopalatine Fossa

Question 1

What are the six communications of the Pterygopalatine Fossa (include location)?

Answer 1

• Sphenopalatine Foramen (medial)
• Pterygoid Canal (posterior)
• Foramen Rotundum (posterior)
• Pterygomaxillary Fissure (lateral)
• Inferior Orbital Fissure (superior)
• Palatine Canal (inferior)

Question 2

Through what communication location does the Maxillary n. enter into through the Pterygopalatine Fossa?

Answer 2

Maxillary n. enters through Foramen Rotundum (posterior)

Question 3

Through what communication location does the Zygomatic n. exit from the Pterygopalatine Fossa?

Answer 3

Zygomatic n. exits through Inferior Orbital Fissure (superior)

Question 4

Through what communication location does the Infraorbital n. exit from the Pterygopalatine Fossa?

Answer 4

Infraorbital n. exits through the Inferior Orbital Fissure (superior)

Question 5

Through what structure within the Pterygopalatine Fossa do the Pterygopalatine nn. pass through?

Answer 5

Pterygopalatine nn. pass through the Pterygopalatine Ganglion

Question 6

Which CN has branches within the Pterygopalatine Ganglion?

Answer 6

CN V2

Question 7

What four branches of CN V2 are found in Pterygopalatine Ganglion? Through what communication do they exit from the Pterygopalatine Ganglion?

Answer 7

• Greater Palatine n. exits through the Palatine Canal (inferior)
• Lesser Palatine n. exits through the Palatine Canal (inferior)
• Nasopalatine n. exits through the Sphenopalatine Foramen (medial)
• Posterior Lateral Nasal nn. exit through the Sphenopalatine Foramen (medial)

Question 8

What two nerves join together to form the Nerve of the Pterygoid Canal? Where do these two nerves originate from?

Answer 8

Greater Petrosal n. from CN VII and Deep Petrosal n. from the Internal Carotid Plexus join to form the Nerve of the Pterygoid Canal

Question 9

What kind of nerve fibers are found in the Greater Petrosal n.? What kind of nerve fibers are found in the Deep Petrosal n.?

Answer 9

• Greater Petrosal n. carries presynaptic parasympathetic nerve fibers
• Deep Petrosal n. carries postsynaptic sympathetic nerve fibers