- Pterygomaxillary fissure
Infobox Anatomy
Name = PAGENAME
Latin = fissura pterygomaxillaris
GraySubject = 46
GrayPage = 185
Caption = Left infratemporal fossa. (Pterygomaxillary fissure labeled at bottom left.)
Caption2 =
System =
MeshName =
MeshNumber =
DorlandsPre = f_08
DorlandsSuf = 12365675
The pterygomaxillary fissure is vertical, and descends at right angles from the medial end of theinferior orbital fissure ; it is a triangular interval, formed by the divergence of themaxilla from thepterygoid process of thesphenoid .It connects the
infratemporal with thepterygopalatine fossa , and transmits the terminal part of themaxillary artery . Alveolar branches of the maxillary nerve go from the pterygopalatine fossa to the infratemporal region via this fissure.In older texts, the pterygomaxillary fissure is sometimes called the pterygopalatine fissure.
External links
*
* [http://www.unc.edu/~jbl/PanAnatomy/skull%20images/pterygomaxillary-fissure.html UNC.edu]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.