Infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossa

Infratemporal fossa

The infratemporal fossa is the caudal continuation of the temporal fossa. The name comes from its relationship to the temporal muscle. The fossa continues as the pterygopalatine fossa.

Left infratemporal fossa

Border

Cranially: facies infratemporalis ossis sphenoidalis, pars squamosa ossis temporalis

Ventrally: tuber maxillae

Dorsally: spatium prestyloideum

Medially: lamina lateralis processus pterygoidei ossis sphenoidalis, processus pyramidalis ossis palatini

Laterally: ramus mandibulae

Passages

Foramen ovale

• third branch of the trigeminal nerve - mandibular nerve
• venous connections - plexus venosus foraminis ovalis

Foramen spinosum

• branch from the third branch of the trigeminal nerve – ramus meningeus
• arteria meningea media, vena meningea media

Foramen mandibulae

• nervus, arteria et vena alveolaris inferior

Fissura pterygomaxillaris

• venous tributaries to the pterygoid plexus
• arteria maxillaris

Fissura petrotympanica

• arteria et vena tympanica anterior
• chorda tympani

Foramen lacerum

• synchondrosis sphenopetrosa

Foramen petrosum

• nervus petrosus minor

Foramina alveolaria tuberis maxillae

• rami alveolares superiores posteriores

Content

• m. pterygoideus medialis et lateralis
• m. temporalis
• a. maxillaris and its branches: a. meningea media, a. alveolaris inferior, a. buccalis, aa. temporales profundae, a. tympanica anterior and muscle branches in the pars pterygoidea
• plexus pterygoideus
• n. mandibularis and its branches: n. auriculotemporalis, n. alveolaris inferior, n. lingualis, n. buccalis and then chorda tympani, n. petrosus minor
• ganglion oticum
• corpus adiposum buccae – fat body filling the cheeks

Pterygopalatine fossa

The pterygopalatine fossa is a topographically significant location between the maxilla and the pterygoid process. It is the medial continuation of the infratemporal fossa and communicates with it through a fissure called the pterygomaxillary fissure. It has the shape of a slender pyramid standing on its tip.

Diagram of the pterygopalatine fossa a – processus pterygoideus; b – facies maxillaris alae majoris o. sphenoidalis; c – lamina perpendicularis o. palatini; d – facies infratemporalis maxillae; e – canalis pterygoideus; f – canalis palatinovaginalis; g – foramen rotundum; h – fissura orbitalis inferior; i – foramen sphenopalatinum; j – foramina alveolaria; k – canalis palatinus major; 1 – n. maxillaris; 2 – ganglion pterygopalatinum; 3 – ramus pharyngeus; 4 – n. petrosus major; 5 – n. petrosus profundus; 6 – n. zygomaticus; 7 – n. infraorbitalis; 8 – nn. alveolares sup. post.; 9 – nn. palatini minores; 10 – n. palatinus major; 11– nn. nasales posteriores; 12– a. maxillaris; 13– a. palatina descendes; 14– vasa infraorbitalia; 15– vasa sphenopalatina; 16– vasa canalis pterygoidei; 17– vasa palatina majora; 18– vasa palatina minora; 19– plexus pterygoideus

Border

The anterior wall is formed by the maxilla – the posterior infratemporal surface.

The posterior wall is formed by the pterygoid process – the ventral edge.

The perpendicular lamina of the palatine bone is located medially.

Laterally it is not closed, it is connected to the infratemporal fossa.

The ceiling is the body of the sphenoid bone at the distance of the large wings.

Passages

Foramen sphenopalatinum

It communicates with the nasal cavity. The sphenopalatine artery and vein pass through it together with the nasal branches.

Fissura orbitalis inferior

For communication with the orbit. Here we find the zygomatic nerve, the infraorbital nerve and artery, the inferior ophthalmic vein and the orbital muscle.

Canalis palatinus major

For communication with the palate. Here passes the n. palatine major and a. et v. palatina major.

Foramen rotundum

It serves to communicate with the brainstem. The maxillary nerve passes through it.

Canalis pterygoideus (Vidii)

For communication with the palate. Here we find n. canalis pterygoidei and a. et v. canalis pterygoidei.

Cannales palatini minores

It also serves to communicate with the palate. In the canals we find nn. palatini minores, aa. et vv. palatinae minores.

Fissura pterygomaxillaris

This is for communication with the infratemporal fossa. The maxillary artery and tributaries of the pterygoid plexus are located here.

Content

The contents are the terminal branches of the maxillary artery – the sphenopalatine artery, the descending palatine artery and the pterygoid canal. Furthermore, the deep part of the pterygoid plexus and the pterygopalatine ganglion. The maxillary nerve branches here into the infraorbital nerve, the zygomatic nerve and the pterygopalatine nerves.

Links

Related articles

• Skull spaces
• Ganglion pterygopalatinum
• Fossa temporalis

External links

• Mefanet – Hluboké prostory hlavy Fossa pterygopalatina
• Čelistní chirurgie – Fossa pterygopalatina

Used literature

• ČIHÁK, Radomír. Anatomie I. 2. edition. Grada, 2001. 516 pp. pp. 201. ISBN 978-80-7169-970-5.

• ČIHÁK, Radomír. Anatomie 1. 3. edition. Grada, 2011. 552 pp. ISBN 978-80-247-3817-8.

• GRIM, Miloš – DRUGA, Rastislav. Základy anatomie : 5. Anatomie krajin těla. 1. edition. Galén, 2008. 119 pp. ISBN 978-80-7262-179-8.

• HUDÁK, Radovan – KACHLÍK, David. Memorix anatomie. 3. edition. 2016. 607 pp. ISBN 978-80-7387-959-4.