Pterygopalatine Fossa

Question 1

Pterygopalatine fossa is immediately posterior to what bone?

Answer 1

Maxilla

Question 2

Walls of the pterygopalatine fossa:

1. Anterior wall
2. Medial wall
3. Posterior wall and roof

Answer 2

1. Posterior surface of maxilla
2. Lateral surface of the palatine bone
3. Parts of the sphenoid bone

Question 3

1. What part of the sphenoid bone contributes to formation of the fossa?
2. What 2 foramina open onto this surface?

Answer 3

1. Anterosuperior surface of the pterygoid process

2. Foramen rotundum and pterygoid canal

Question 4

Foramen rotundum

1. Where is it in relation to the pterygoid canal?
2. Communicates with what cranial fossa?
3. What passes through it?

Answer 4

1. Lateral and superior
2. Middle cranial fossa
3. Maxillary nerve (V2)

Question 5

Pterygoid canal:

1. Where is it in relation to the foramen rotundum
2. This canal opens onto?
3. During its course, it runs through?
4. Opens into middle cranial fossa where?

Answer 5

1. Medial and inferior
2. Posterior surface of pterygoid process
3. Travels in the cartilage that fills the foramen lacerum
4. Anteroinferior to the internal carotid artery

Question 6

Apertures where structures leave/enter pterygopalatine fossa; what do they communicate with?:

1. Foramen rotundum/pterygoid canal
2. Palatovaginal canal
3. Palatine canal
4. Sphenopalatine foramen
5. Pterygomaxillary fissure
6. Inferior orbital fissure

Answer 6

1. Middle cranial fossa
2. Leads to the nasopharynx
3. Leads to the roof of the oral cavity (hard palate)
4. Opens onto lateral wall of nasal cavity
5. Between lateral aspect of the pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa
6. Between superior aspect of fossa into the floor of the orbit

Question 7

Contents of the pterygopalatine fossa:

1. 2 nerves
2. 1 artery
3. 1 other

Answer 7

1. Maxillary nerve (V2), nerve of pterygoid canal
2. Terminal part of maxillary artery
3. Pterygopalatine ganglion

Question 8

Nerve of the pterygoid canal:

1. Formed by the union of what 2 nerves?
2. What are those 2 nerves branches of?
3. What does it join?
4. What kind of fibers do each of these 2 nerves carry?

Answer 8

1. Greater petrosal nerve and deep petrosal nerve
2. Greater= VII; deep= internal carotid plexus
3. Pterygopalatine ganglion
4. Greater= preganglionic parasympathetic
   Deep= postganglionic sympathetic

Question 9

Pterygopalatine ganglion:

1. One of the 4 __
2. Formed by cell body neurons associated with what 3 nerves/what type of fibers

Answer 9

1. Parasympathetic ganglia in the head
2. Postganglionic sympathetic (deep petrosal); sensory/ganglionic branches (maxillary nerve); preganglionic parasympathetic fibers (greater petrosal and nerve of pterygoid canal)

Question 10

Nerve of pterygoid canal is branch of which nerve?

Answer 10

Facial nerve

Question 11

1. Fibers of pterygopalatine ganglion form what 4 branches that leave the ganglion?
2. Where do the other fibers go? Are then distributed with what 3 nerves?

Answer 11

1. Orbital, palatine, nasal, and pharyngeal branches

2. Pass superiorly to enter the main trunk of the maxillary nerve; zygomatic, posterior alveolar and infra-orbital

Question 12

Orbital branches:

1. Pass through?
2. Supplies what 4 things?

Answer 12

1. Inferior orbital fissure

2. Orbital wall (periosteum), lacrimal gland, sphenoidal and ethmoidal sinuses

Question 13

Pharyngeal nerve:

1. Passes ?
2. Leaves the fossa thru?
3. Supplies what 2 things?

Answer 13

1. Posteriorly from the pterygopalatine ganglion
2. Palatovaginal canal
3. Mucosa and glands of the nasopharynx

Question 14

Greater and lesser palatine nerves

1. Pass thru?
2. How do they enter the oral surface of the palate?
3. Lesser palatine nerve passes posteriorly to supply?
4. Greater (anterior) palatine nerve supplies?
5. Greater palatine nerve joins which nerve?

Answer 14

1. Palatine canal
2. Thru the greater and lesser palatine foramina
3. Soft palate
4. Mucosa/glands of head palate and adjacent gingiva, mucosa over the middle and lower part of the lateral wall of the nasal cavity
5. Long sphenopalatine nerve

Question 15

Nasal nerve:

1. How many are there?
2. Pass thru __ to enter__?
3. Short sphenopalatine supplies?
4. Which is the largest? How does it run? What does it supply? What nerve does it join?

Answer 15

1. 7
2. Sphenopalatine foramen to enter nasal cavity
3. Mucosa of posterior/superior quadrant of the nasal cavity
4. Nasopalatine nerve; passes anteriorly grooving down the nasal septum; mucosa, gingiva, and glands adjacent to incisor teeth; joins greater palatine nerve

Question 16

Maxillary nerve (V2)

1. Purely __
2. Originates from?
3. How does it enter the pterygopalatine fossa?
4. Terminates as __ nerve thru __

Answer 16

1. Sensory
2. Trigeminal ganglion in the cranial cavity
3. Thru foramen rotundum
4. Infraorbital nerve thru the inferior orbital fissure

Question 17

Maxillary nerve (V2)

1. 4 branches
2. 2 ganglionic branches pass thru the pterygopalatine ganglion; what type of fibers do they have?
3. What is the first branch and where does it branch

Answer 17

1. Meningeal, zygomatic, posterior superior alveolar, and infraorbital
2. Postganglionic parasympathetic and sensory
3. Maxillary nerve gives off the meningeal branch before it enters the fossa

Question 18

Zygomatic nerve (branch of V2)

1. How does it enter the orbit?
2. Divides into?

Answer 18

1. Thru the inferior orbital fissure

2. Zygomaticotemporal and zygomaticofacial

Question 19

Zygomaticotemporal branch:

1. Enters what fossa?
2. What type of fibers does it carry?
3. Joins which nerve?

Answer 19

1. Temporal fossa
2. Postganglionic parasympathetic and sympathetic special autonomic
3. Lacrimal

Question 20

Zygomaticofacial branch:

1. Opens onto?
2. Supplies?

Answer 20

1. Zygomatic bone

2. Adjacent skin

Question 21

Posterior superior alveolar nerve:

1. Leaves fossa thru?
2. Enters maxilla between?
3. Supplies?
4. Contributes to the supply of the ?

Answer 21

1. Pterygomaxillary fissure
2. Last molar tooth and inferior orbital fissure
3. Molar teeth and adjacent buccal gingiva
4. Maxillary sinus

Question 22

Infraorbital nerve:

1. Anterior continuation of __
2. How does it leave the fossa? (3)
3. Gives rise to what 2 nerves, where?
4. Joins __ plexus to supply __
5. Middle superior alveolar nerve also supplies?
6. Small branch that anterior superior alveolar nerve gives off?

Answer 22

1. Maxillary nerve
2. Thru inferior orbital fissure->infraorbital groove-> infraorbital canal
3. Middle and anterior superior alveolar nerves
4. Superior alveolar plexus to supply upper teeth
5. Maxillary sinus
6. Small nasal branch

Question 23

Infraorbital nerve continued:

Divides into what 3 branches
What does each of these branches supply

Answer 23

1. Nasal branches - skin over lateral aspect of nose and part of septum
2. Palpebral branches - skin of the lower eyelid
3. Superior labial branches - skin over cheek and upper lip and related oral mucosa

Question 24

Maxillary artery

1. Branch of?
2. Originates where?
3. How does it enter the pterygopalatine fossa? Which part of the artery enters thru here?

Answer 24

1. External carotid artery
2. Adjacent to the neck of the mandible, within the parotid gland
3. Thru the pterygomaxillary fissure; third part

Question 25

First part of maxillary artery: 1. Location 2. Related to what nerve and what vein? 3. 2 major branches? 4. 3 smaller branches?

Answer 25

1. Between neck of mandible and sphenomandibular ligament 2. Auriculotemporal nerve and maxillary vein 3. Middle meningeal and inferior alveolar 4. Deep auricular, anterior tympanic, and accessory meningeal

Question 26

Second part of maxillary artery: 1. Related to what muscle? 2. Gives rise to what 4 branches? 3. These branches supply? 4. Course with branches of what nerve?

Answer 26

1. Lateral pterygoid 2. Deep temporal, masseteric, buccal and pterygoid branches 3. Muscles of mastication 4. Mandibular nerve

Question 27

Terminal (3rd) part of maxillary artery: 1. Anterior to __ 2. Its branches accompany branches of what 2 things? 3. Branches supply what 3 things? 4. Contribute to the blood supply of what 3 things?

Answer 27

1. Pterygopalatine ganglion 2. Maxillary nerve and pterygopalatine ganglion 3. Nasal cavity, roof of oral cavity, and all upper teeth 4. Sinuses, oropharynx, floor of the orbit

Question 28

6 branches of the third part of the maxillary artery

Answer 28

Posterior superior alveolar, infraorbital, greater palatine, pharyngeal, sphenopalatine arteries, and artery of pterygoid canal

Question 29

Posterior superior alveolar artery: 1. Meets what nerve? 2. Accompanies this nerve to the __ 3. Supplies?

Answer 29

1. Posterior superior alveolar nerve 2. Infratemporal surface of the maxilla 3. Molar/premolar teeth, adjacent gingiva, and maxillary sinus

Question 30

Infraorbital artery: 1. Leaves fossa thru? 2. Lies with what nerve 3. Where does it give off its branches 4. Main branches and what they supply

Answer 30

1. Inferior orbital fissure 2. Infraorbital nerve 3. When its in the orbital canal 4. Anterior superior alveolar arteries- incisor and canine teeth and maxillary sinus Branches that contribute to blood supply of floor of orbit, inferior rectus, inferior oblique and lacrimal sac

Question 31

Greater palatine artery: 1. How does it leave the fossa? 2. What nerve does it leave with? 3. Supplies?

Answer 31

1. Palatovaginal canal 2. Pharyngeal nerve 3. Posterior aspect of roof of nasal cavity, sphenoidal sinus, and pharyngotympanic tube

Question 32

Sphenopalatine artery: 1. What is significant about this 2. How does it leave the fossa 3. Accompanies what nerves 4. What are its 2 branches and what do they supply?

Answer 32

1. Terminal branch of maxillary artery 2. Sphenopalatine foramen 3. Nasal nerves 4. Posterior lateral nasal arteries - supplies lateral wall of nasal cavity and contributes to paranasal sinuses Posterior septal branches - supplies nasal septum

Question 33

Largest branch of the posterior septal branches anastomoses with?

Answer 33

Greater palatine artery

Question 34

Artery of pterygoid canal: 1. Passes posteriorly into _ ; supplies? 2. Passes inferiorly thru 3. Terminates where?

Answer 34

1. Pterygoid canal; supplies surrounding tissues 2. Cartilage filling foramen lacerum 3. Mucosa of the nasopharynx

Question 35

1. Veins coalesce in the pterygopalatine fossa and then join __ where? 2. Infraorbital vein drains what part of the face

Answer 35

1. Pterygoid plexus of veins in the infratemporal fossa | 2. Inferior aspect of the orbit