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 )