Pterygopalatine fossa

Pterygopalatine fossa

Infobox Bone
Name = Pterygopalatine fossa
Latin = fossa pterygopalatina
GraySubject = 41
GrayPage = 166


Caption = Left maxillary sinus opened from the exterior.


Caption2 = Old human skull with entrance to pterygopalatine fossa marked in purple
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DorlandsPre = f_14
DorlandsSuf = 12376574
The pterygopalatine fossa is a fossa in the skull. It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen.

Boundaries

It has the following boundaries:

* "anterior": superomedial part of the infratemporal surface of maxilla
* "posterior": root of the pterygoid process and adjoining anterior surface of the greater wing of sphenoid bone
* "medial": perpendicular plate of the palatine bone and its orbital sphenoidal processes
* "lateral": pterygomaxillary fissure
* "inferior": part of the floor is formed by the pyramidal process of the palatine bone.

Passages

The following passages connect the fossa with other parts of the skull:

Contents

The pterygopalatine fossa contains
* the pterygopalatine ganglion suspended by nerve roots from the maxillary nerve
* the third part of the maxillary artery
* the nerve of the pterygoid canal

ee also

* Pterygopalatine canal


=Additional

External links

* [http://iris3.med.tufts.edu/headneck/Pterygopalatine/ptwerygopalatinefossa.htm Image at tufts.edu]


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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • pterygopalatine fossa — “+... noun Etymology: pterygopalatine International Scientific Vocabulary pteryg + palatine : a small triangular space beneath the apex of the orbit bounded in front by the maxilla, medially by the palatine bone, and behind by the pterygoid… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Pterygopalatine — is used to refer to structures of the pterygoid processes of the sphenoid and the palatine bone. Specifically, it can refer to: * Pterygopalatine fossa * Pterygopalatine canal * Pterygopalatine ganglion (also known as the Sphenopalatine ganglion) …   Wikipedia

  • pterygopalatine ganglion — n an autonomic ganglion of the maxillary nerve that is situated in the pterygopalatine fossa and that receives preganglionic parasympathetic fibers from the facial nerve and sends postganglionic fibers to the nasal mucosa, palate, pharynx, and… …   Medical dictionary

  • Pterygopalatine ganglion — Infobox Nerve Name = PAGENAME Latin = g. pterygopalatinum GraySubject = 200 GrayPage = 891 Caption = Alveolar branches of superior maxillary nerve and pterygopalatine ganglion. (Sphenopalatine ganglion labeled at center top.) Caption2 = The… …   Wikipedia

  • Pterygopalatine nerves — Infobox Nerve Name = Pterygopalatine nerves Latin = nervi pterygopalatini, nervi sphenopalatini GraySubject = 200 GrayPage = 890 Caption = Alveolar branches of superior maxillary nerve and pterygopalatine ganglion. (Pterygopalatine nerves visible …   Wikipedia

  • fossa pterygopalatina — [TA] pterygopalatine fossa: a small space between the anterior aspect of the root of the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone and the posterior aspect of the maxilla …   Medical dictionary

  • fossa — A depression usually more or less longitudinal in shape below the level of the surface of a part. [L. a trench or ditch] acetabular f. [TA] a depressed area in the floor of the acetabulum superior to the …   Medical dictionary

  • Posterior cranial fossa — Base of the skull. Upper surface. The Posterior cranial fossa is labeled in green. Latin fossa cranii posterior Gray s …   Wikipedia

  • Middle cranial fossa — Base of the skull. Upper surface. (Middle cranial fossa is the centermost of the three indentations, in pink and yellow.) Latin fossa cranii media Gray s …   Wikipedia

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