The Infratemporal and Temporal Fossa 2 Flashcards

1
Q

How many nerves pass through the skull base and into the infratemporal fossa?

A

2 nerves – the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (Viii) and the facial nerve (7th cranial nerve)

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2
Q

How does the mandibular nerve leave the skull base?

A

It leaves the skull base through the foramen ovale.

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3
Q

What type of fibres does the mandibular nerve carry to the infratemporal fossa and the mouth?

A

It carries both motor and sensory fibres.

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4
Q

What type of fibres does the facial nerve carry to the superficial muscles of the face?

A

The facial nerve carries motor fibres to the superficial muscles of the face.

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5
Q

Besides the mandibular nerve, the facial nerve and the muscles that move the mandible what other structures are present in the infratemporal fossa?

A
  • internal carotid artery
  • jugular vein
  • cranial nerves 9, 10, 11 and 12
  • one of the terminal branches of the external carotid artery = maxillary artery (runs a complicated course through the infratemporal fossa.
  • parotid gland
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6
Q

What is the parotid gland?

A

This is a large salivary gland.

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7
Q

Where does the parotid gland lie?

A

It lies behind the ascending ramus of the mandible and it extends medially into the infratemporal fossa.

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8
Q

What happens to the parotid gland during development?

A

It grows out from the oral cavity and back into the structures of the neck and the face behind the mandible.

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9
Q

How does the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve reach the infratemporal fossa?

A

It drops vertically through the foramen ovale in the base of the skull to reach the infratemporal fossa.

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10
Q

What kind of neurones does the mandibular nerve contaim?

A

It contains both sensory and motor fibres and this is unique to the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.

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11
Q

Where is the mandibular nerve in the infratemporal fossa?

A

This nerve is deep to the lateral pterygoid muscle and on the surface of the tensor palati muscle.

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12
Q

What does the mandibular nerve give off deep to the lateral pterygoid muscle and on the surface of the tensor palati muscle?

A

It gives off a tiny branch that only contains sensory neurones that follow the path of the middle meningeal artery through the foramen spinosum and into the skull.

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13
Q

Where does the tiny sensory branch of the mandibular nerve carry sensation from?

A

It carries sensation from part of the middle cranial fossa and the mastoid air cells.

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14
Q

Where is the parasympathetic ganglion that is suspended from the mandibular nerve?

A

This is just below the foramen ovale.

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15
Q

What is the name of the parasympathetic ganglion of the mandibular nerve?

A

This is called the otic ganglion.

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16
Q

What does the otic ganglion contain?

A

It contains synapses between preganglionic and postganglionic parasympathetic nerve fibres that are destined from the parotid gland.

It also has sympathetic neurones that run through it but dont synapse within it.

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17
Q

What does the mandibular nerve divide into?

A

It divides into anterior and posterior divisions.

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18
Q

What are all of the branches of the anterior division (except 1) motor to?

A

They are all motor to the muscles of mastication and to a muscle of the soft palate.

  • medial and lateral pterygoid muscles
  • temporalis muscle
  • masseter muscle
    • supplied by a branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve which gets to the muscle by passing through a notch between the mandibular condyle and the coronoid process of the mandible.
  • tensor palati muscle
    • nerve lies beneath the foramen ovale
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19
Q

What is the only sensory branch of the anterior division of the mandibular nerve?

A

The long buccal nerve.

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20
Q

Where does the long buccal nerve carry sensation from?

A

It carries sensation from the inside and outside of the cheek.

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21
Q

What is the path of the long buccal nerve?

A

It runs from the cheek between the 2 heads of the lateral pterygoid muscle to join the anterior division high in the infratemporal fossa.

22
Q

What is the posterior division of the mandibular nerve made up of?

A

It is made up of sensory fibres.

23
Q

What are the 2 large and important branches of the posterior division of the mandibular nerve?

A
  • lingual nerve
  • inferior alveolar nerve
24
Q

Where do the lingual nerve and inferior alveolar nerve lie?

A

They lie on the lateral surface of the medial pterygoid muscle in the infratemporal fossa.

25
Q

Where is the lingual nerve destined for?

A

It is destined for the tongue.

26
Q

Where is the inferior alveolar nerve destined for?

A

It is destined for the lower teeth, lip and chin.

27
Q

What is the 3rd branch of the posterior division of the mandibular nerve called?

A

This is called the auriculotemporal nerve.

28
Q

Where does the auriculotemporal nerve carry sensation from?

A

It carries sensation from the temple and the auricle.

29
Q

Describe the path of the inferior alveolar nerve to the mandible.

A
  • passes down over the lateral surface of the medial pterygoid muscle towards the mandibular foramen
  • mandibular foramen is on the inside of the mandible
  • enters the bone of the bone of the mandible through the mandibular foramen and passes beneath the lower teeth
  • supplies the lower teeth
30
Q

How does the inferior mandibular nerve leave the front of the mandible?

A

Through the mental foramen.

31
Q

Where does the mental nerve carry sensation from?

A

It carries sensation from the skin of the lower lip and the point of the chin.

32
Q

What does the inferior alveolar nerve give off before it enters the mandibular foramen?

A

It gives off the motor branch.

33
Q

What is the significance of the small motor nerve that is given off by the inferior alveolar nerve before it enters the mandibular foramen?

A

This is the only motor branch of the posterior division.

34
Q

What does the motor branch of the inferior alveolar nerve supply?

A

It supplies 2 muscles in the floor of the mouth:

  • nerve to the mylohyoid
  • anterior belly of the digastric nerve
35
Q

Under the base of the skull, what is the lingual nerve joined by?

A

It is joined by the chorda tympani.

36
Q

What is the chorda tympani?

A

This is a branch of the 7th cranial nerve which courses through the middle ear.

It is one of the 2 parasympathetic nerve bundles of the 7th cranial nerve.

37
Q

How does the chorda tympani leave the floor of the middle ear?

A

Through the petrotympanic fissure.

And from here, it only has to travel a little way to reach the lingual nerve.

38
Q

Where does the petrotympanic fissure open?

A

It opens very close to the spine of the sphenoid bone on the cranial base which is very close to the foramen ovale.

39
Q

What ganglion does the greater superficial petrosal branch go to?

A

It goes to the pterygopalatine ganglion.

40
Q

Where does the chorda tympani aim for?

A

It aims for the infratemporal fosa.

41
Q

What fibres does the chorda tympani carry?

A

Parasympathetic fibres which hitch hike down the lingual nerve and supply the salivary glands and the mucous glands on the floor of the mouth.

Carries taste fibres in the opposite direction from the anterior 2/3rds of the tongue to the brain.

42
Q

How many roots does the auriculotemporal nerve have?

A

It has 2 roots which embrace the middle meningeal artery.

43
Q

What does the auriculotemporal nerve supply sensation to?

A

It passes laterally to supply sensation to part of the ear, tympanic membrane and temple.

44
Q

At its origin what is the auriculotemporal nerve in close relationship with?

A

It is in close relationship to the otic ganglion.

45
Q

Where do parasympathetic neurones destined for the otic ganglion arise from?

A

They arise from the glossopharyngeal nerve (9th cranial nerve)

46
Q

When do the parasympathetic neurones destined for the otic ganglion leave the glossopharyngeal nerve?

A

Just below the jugular foramen.

47
Q

What is the path of the parasympathetic fibres from the glossopharyngeal nerve after they have left the glossopharyngeal nerve?

A
  • pass through petrous temporal bone and middle ear cavity
  • leave the middle ear cavity through its anterior surface as the lesser superficial petrosal nerve
48
Q

What does the lesser superficial petrosal nerve drop down through the foramen ovale in company with?

A

With the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve.

After going through the foramen ovale it is perfectly situated to enter the otic ganglion and synapse within it.

49
Q

What is the path of the postganglionic parasympathetic neurones from the lesser superficial petrosal nerve from the otic ganglion?

A

They jump into the auriculotemporal nerve.

50
Q

What is the path of postganglionic parasympathetic neurones from the otic ganglion while running in the auriculotemporal nerve?

A

They run in this nerve to the side of the mandible where they leave the mandible and enter the large parotid salivary gland.