What structures are in the pterygopalatine fossa?

What structures are in the pterygopalatine fossa?

The pterygopalatine fossa contains fat and the following neurovascular structures:

  • pterygopalatine ganglion.
  • maxillary artery (terminal portion), and its branches including the descending palatine artery.
  • emissary veins.
  • maxillary division of trigeminal nerve (Vb): enters via foramen rotundum.
  • nerve of the pterygoid canal.

What is located in the pterygopalatine fossa?

The pterygopalatine fossa also contains multiple important structures. This fossa contains the pterygopalatine ganglion. Nerve roots from the maxillary nerve suspend this ganglion. The PPF contains the terminal third segment of the maxillary artery.

What runs through the pterygopalatine fossa?

It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen. It communicates with the nasal and oral cavities, infratemporal fossa, orbit, pharynx, and middle cranial fossa through eight foramina….

Pterygopalatine fossa
FMA 75309
Anatomical terms of bone

What nerves are in the pterygopalatine fossa?

While in the pterygopalatine fossa, the maxillary nerve gives of numerous branches including the infraorbital, zygomatic, nasopalatine, superior alveolar, pharyngeal and the greater and lesser palatine nerves.

What is the Pterygopalatine Fossa function?

The pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) is a small, clinically inaccessible, fat-filled space located in the deep face that serves as a major neurovascular crossroad between the oral cavity, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, orbit, masticator space, and the middle cranial fossa.

What is pterygopalatine?

The pterygopalatine (sphenopalatine) ganglion is one of four small parasympathetic ganglia found in the head. Although it is described as being a parasympathetic ganglion, it also carries sympathetic and sensory fibers to the nasal, oral and pharyngeal regions of the head.

What is the communication between the Pterygopalatine fossa and the nose?

The palatovaginal canal is located on the posterior wall of the pterygopalatine fossa, inferior to the pterygoid canal. It communicates with the nasal cavity and transmits the pharyngeal branches of the maxillary nerve and artery.

What is the function of Pterygopalatine fossa?

What is the function of pterygopalatine fossa?

What does pterygopalatine mean?

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. Palatovaginal canal (Greater palatine canal or Pterygopalatine canal) Pterygopalatine ganglion (also known as the Sphenopalatine ganglion)

What are the clinical effects of irritation of pterygopalatine ganglion?

Clinical Significance The pterygopalatine ganglion is theorized to be a component for a group of headache disorders classified as trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) which present as unilateral headaches with ipsilateral autonomic features (lacrimation, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, eyelid edema, and ptosis).

Where is pterygopalatine ganglia located?

pterygopalatine fossa
The sphenopalatine (pterygopalatine) ganglion resides in the pterygopalatine fossa, located posterior to the middle nasal concha and anterior to the pterygoid canal. It is adjacent to and inferior to the maxillary nerve, a branch of the trigeminal nerve, and connects with it via the pterygopalatine nerves.