Pterygopalatine fossa

The pterygopalatine fossa (wing palate pit ) is a bony limited pit (Latin fossa ) to the skull.

Confines

It has the following limits:

• The front ( anterior): maxilla ( posterior surface of the palatine process of the maxilla )
• To the middle ( medial): palatine bone (lateral surface )

Compounds

The pterygopalatine fossa has connections to other parts of the skull:

• To the front ( anterior) - via the inferior orbital fissure - the orbit
• Downward ( inferior) - over the canal palatine major - to the oral cavity and the Canali palatini minoris
• To the outside ( lateral) - via the pterygomaxillary fissure - the infratemporal fossa
• The inside ( medial) - sphenopalatine on the perpendicular plate of the palatine bone to the foramen - the nasal cavity
• To the rear ( posterior) - rotundum via the foramen - the fossa media
• To the rear ( posterior) - over the canal palatovaginalis ( pharyngeal ) - the nasal cavity ( nasopharynx )
• Lacerum fossa and foramen media - to the back ( posterior) - on the pterygoid canal ( Vidi nerve )

Content

In the pterygopalatine fossa following anatomical structures are:

• Pterygopalatine ganglion (connected to the maxillary nerve )
• The third portion of the maxillary artery
• Nerve in the pterygoid canal ( greater petrosal nerve and deep petrosal nerve )