Pterygopalatine Fossa

Question 1

Where is the Pterygopalatine fossa?

Answer 1

• beneath the apex of the orbital cone
• anterior to the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone
• posterior to the maxilla
• medial to the infratemporal fossa
• lateral to the postero-superior part of the lateral wall of the nasal cavity

Question 2

What does the Pterygopalatine Fossa comminocate with?

Answer 2

The orbit

»via inferior orbital fissure (anteriorly)

The middle cranial fossa

»via foramen rotundum & pterygoid canal (posteriorly)

The infratemporal fossa

»via pterygomaxillary fissure (laterally)

The nasal cavity

»via sphenopalatine foramen (medially)

Question 3

Where is the Sphenopalatine Foramen?

Answer 3

Question 4

What does the Pterygopalatine Fossa contain?

Answer 4

• terminal 1/3rd of the maxillary artery
• CN Vb
• pterygopalatine ganglion (“ganglion of hayfever”)

Question 5

What does the 3rd part of the Maxillary Artery supply?

Answer 5

1. Arterial blood supply to the maxillary teeth.
2. Arterial blood supply to the skin of the face
3. Arterial blood supply to the palate & nasal cavity

Question 6

What is the blood supply in Nasal Cavities?

Answer 6

Question 7

What is the Sensory Nerve Supply to the Nasal Cavities?

Answer 7

Question 8

Label the diagram.

Answer 8

Question 9

Answer 9

Question 10

What is the Autonomic Nerve Supply to the Nasal Cavities?

Answer 10

preganglionic sympathetic fibres from the brain :

1. travel down the spinal cord and then…
2. exit the spinal cord in T1 spinal nerve and then…
3. travel superiorly in the sympathetic chain and then…
4. Synapse in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion

Question 11

What do postganglionic sympathetic fibreson the Internal Carotid Nerve give rise to?

Answer 11

plexus on the surface of the internal carotid artery

Question 12

Answer 12

Question 13

Answer 13

Question 14

The pterygopalatine fossa lies medial to which anatomical area of the head?

Answer 14

Infratemporal fossa

Question 15

With which region does the pterygopalatine fossa communicate medially?

Answer 15

Sphenopalatine foramen

Question 16

Which artery is a branch of the terminal one third of the maxillary artery?

Answer 16

Sphenopalatine

Question 17

Which artery supplies the upper anterior dentition?

Answer 17

Anterior superior alveolar artery

Question 18

At which landmark doe the maxillary artery become the sphenopalatine artery?

Answer 18

Sphenopalatine foramen

Question 19

Which branch of CN V2 communicates with the lacrimal nerve of CN V1?

Answer 19

Zygomatic nerve

Question 20

Which nerve supplies the skin and mucosa of the upper lip?

Answer 20

Infraorbital nerve

Question 21

Which nerve carries post-ganglionic sympathetic fibres?

Answer 21

Deep petrosal nerve

Question 22

Where do pre-ganglionic parasympathetic fibres in the greater petrosal nerve synapse?

Answer 22

Pterygopalatine ganglion

Question 23

Which nerve supplies the posteroinferior part of the mid-line nasal septum?

Answer 23

Nasopalatine nerve