Pterygopalatine fossa

In human anatomy, the pterygopalatine fossa (sphenopalatine fossa) is a fossa in the skull. A human skull contains two pterygopalatine fossae—one on the left side, and another on the right side. Each fossa is a cone-shaped paired depression deep to the infratemporal fossa and posterior to the maxilla on each side of the skull, located between the pterygoid process and the maxillary tuberosity close to the apex of the orbit.[1] 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.[2]

Pterygopalatine fossa
Left maxillary sinus opened from the exterior.
Human skull with entrance to pterygopalatine fossa marked in red
Details
Identifiers
Latinfossa pterygopalatina
MeSHD056739
TA98A02.1.00.025
TA2429
FMA75309
Anatomical terms of bone

Structure

Boundaries

It has the following boundaries:

Passages

The following passages connect the fossa with other parts of the skull:[3]

DirectionPassageConnection
Posteriorlyforamen rotundummiddle cranial fossa
pterygoid canal (Vidian)middle cranial fossa, foramen lacerum
palatovaginal canal (pharyngeal)nasal cavity/nasopharynx
Anteriorlyinferior orbital fissureorbit
Mediallysphenopalatine foramennasal cavity
Laterallypterygomaxillary fissureinfratemporal fossa
Inferiorlygreater palatine canal (pterygopalatine)oral cavity,

lesser palatine canals

Functions

The pterygopalatine fossa contains

See also

Additional images

References

  1. Illustrated Anatomy of the Head and Neck, Fehrenbach and Herring, Elsevier, 2012, page 69
  2. Osborn, Anne (March 1979). "Radiology of the Pterygoid Plates and Pterygopalatine Fossa" (PDF). American Journal of Roentgenology. 132 (3): 389–394. doi:10.2214/ajr.132.3.389. PMID 106641.
  3. Ryan, Stephanie (2011). "Chapter 1". Anatomy for diagnostic imaging (Third ed.). Elsevier Ltd. p. 35. ISBN 9780702029714.
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