Pterygopalatine ganglion

The pterygopalatine ganglion in the pterygopalatine fossa and its inputs and outputs

The pterygopalatinum ganglion is a parasympathetic ganglion. It is located in the pterygopalatine fossa, caudal to the nervus mandibularis and laterally to the foramen sphenopalatinum, here it is connected to the nn. pterygopalatini. It has a flat triangular or heart shape and is reddish-gray in color. It contains about 50,000 parasympathetic neurons (it is therefore the largest parasympathetic ganglion in the head region).

The petrosus major nerve enters it from behind as a parasympathetic radix , the fibers of the radix sympathetica come via the petrosus profundus nerve from Budge's ciliospinal center, as the radix sensitiva fibers leave the ganglion via the maxillaris nerve . From the ganglion emerge rr. nasales posteriores superiores, rr. nasales posteriores inferiores, n. palatinus major and nn. palatinii minores, yr. tonsillares, rr. orbitales and n. pharyngeus . Interpolation takes place here - switching to the second neuron of the parasympathetic pathway (part of the path of parasympathetic innervation of the lacrimal gland).

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References

• GRIM, Miloš – DRUGA, Rastislav, et al. Základy anatomie, 5.Anatomie krajin těla. 1. edition. Praha : Galén, 2008. 119 pp. pp. 96. ISBN 978-80-7262-179-8.

• DRUGA, Rastislav – GRIM, Miloš. Anatomie periferního nervového systému, smyslových orgánů a kůže. 1. edition. Praha : Galén : Karolinum, c2013. pp. 135-153. ISBN 978-80-7262-970-1.