Pterygopalatine Fossa and Maxillary Nerve Identifications

Maxillary Division of the Trigeminal Nerve and the Pterygopalatine Fossa

• Functional components - native GSA plus non-native "hitchhikers"
• Foramen Rotundum - middle cranial fossa to pterygopalatine fossa
  • Transmits maxillary nerve
• Pterygoid Canal - middle cranial fossa to pterygopalatine fossa
  • Transmits the nerve of the pterygoid canal (Vidian nerve)
  • Anterior lip of the lacerate foramen
  • Carotid groove
  • Sphenoid air sinus
• Nerve of the pterygoid canal - functional components and parent nerves, distribution
  • Hiatus of the canal for the greater superficial petrosal nerve
  • Groove for the greater superficial petrosal nerve (VII)
  • Intracranial opening of the carotid canal at the lacerate foramen
  • Internal carotid plexus
  • Deep petrosal nerve
  • Apex of the petrous portion of the temporal bone
• Pharyngeal Canal - pterygopalatine fossa to nasopharynx
  • Transmits pharyngeal nerve to nasopharynx, native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Ala of the vomer
  • Vaginal process of medial pterygoid plate
  • Perpendicular plate of the palatine bone
  • Palatovaginal canal (pharyngeal canal)
• Lesser palatine canal - pterygopalatine fossa to oral cavity
  • Transmits lesser palatine nerve to soft palate, native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Medial pterygoid plate
  • Hamulus - tensor veli palatini
  • Perpendicular plate of the palatine bone
• Greater palatine canal - pterygopalatine fossa to oral cavity
  • Transmits greater palatine nerve to hard palate, native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Sphenopalatine foramen - why so named?
• Sphenopalatine foramen - pterygopalatine fossa to nasal cavity
  • Transmits lateral posterior nasal nerves and nasopalatine nerve to nasal cavity, native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Superior, middle, and inferior nasal chonchae (turbinates when covered with erectile tissue)
  • Superior, middle, and inferior nasal meatae and associated drainages
  • Perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone
  • Vomer
  • Uncinate process, ethmoidal bulla, infundibulum, and hiatus semilunaris
  • Sphenoethmoidal recess - drainage of sphenoid sinus, posterior air cells
• Inferior orbital fissure - pterygopalatine fossa to orbit
  • Greater wing of the sphenoid bone and the maxilla
  • Transmits maxillary nerve and zygomatic nerve to the orbit
  • Infraorbital nerve - native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Zygomatic nerve - native and non-native functional components
  • Zygomaticofacial nerve - native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Zygomaticotemporal nerve - native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Canals for the zygomaticotemporal and zygomaticofacial nerves
  • Lacrimal nerve (from ophthalmic division of trigeminal) - native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Infraorbital groove, infraorbital canal, and infraorbital foramen
  • Middle superior alveolar nerve, native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Anterior superior alveolar nerve, native and non-native functional components, distribution
• Pterygomaxillary fissure - pterygopalatine fossa to infratemporal fossa
  • Anterior border of the lateral pterygoid plate and posterior border of maxilla
  • Transmits posterior superior alveolar nerve, native and non-native functional components, distribution
  • Transmits terminal branches of maxillary artery