Pterygopalatine Ganglion Screencast Flashcards
What can dry mucosa in the nasal cavity cause?
Can lead to cracking and disruption in blood supply which causes subsequent bleeding
Where does the greater petrosal nerve branch off at?
The geniculate ganglion
What kind of axons are pre-ganglionic parasympathetic axons?
Motor axons
Where does the greater petrosal nerve carry pre-ganglionic parasympathetic axons to?
The pterygopalatine ganglion
What kind of fibres does the deep petrosal nerve carry?
Post-ganglionic sympathetic fibres
When does the greater petrosal nerve join with the deep petrosal nerve?
Once it leaves the temporal bone
What structure does the deep petrosal nerve travel with before it joins with the greater petrosal nerve?
The internal carotid artery in the per-arterial plexus
What two nerves form the vidian nerve?
Thee greater petrosal and deep petrosal nerves
What structure does the vidian nerve pass through?
The pterygopalatine canal
What is the greater petrosal nerve associated with as it leaves the temporal bone?
Courses along the temporal bone in the middle cranial fossa in close relation with the trigeminal ganglion
What is contained within the pterygopalatine fossa?
The pterygopalatine ganglion
Where is the pterygopalatine fossa located?
Deep recess in lateral aspect of the skull = crevice in the sphenoid bone next to the maxilla
What is the relationship between the palatine bone and the pterygopalatine fossa?
Palatine bone ascends upwards and lies just anterior to the fossa
What kind of fibres does the pterygopalatine ganglion contain?
Both sympathetic and parasympathetic (secretomotor)
What is the third nerve that contributes to the pterygopalatine ganglion?
The maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V2) = ganglion suspended from maxillary nerve by two columns (input/output)
Do the axons from the deep petrosal nerve synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion?
No = they are redistributed without synapsing
What is the purpose of the pterygopalatine ganglion?
To allow pre-synaptic axons from the greater petrosal nerve to synapse with their post-ganglionic counterparts
Where does the pterygopalatine ganglion have secretomotor outputs to?
Pharynx, palate, nasal cavity and also to the lacrimal gland
How does the pterygopalatine ganglion get output to the lacrimal gland?
Passes through CN V2 and then CN V1 (piggybacks on the cranial nerves)
What is the name of the nerve that connects CN V2 and CN V1 that is utilised by the pterygopalatine ganglion to reach the lacrimal gland?
The zygomatic nerve = gives secretomotor supply to the lacrimal gland
What does the lacrimal gland produce?
Tears
What would disruption to the nerve supply at the vidian nerve cause?
Dry mucosa in the nasopharynx and nasal cavity, unilateral dry eye on the ipsilateral side
