Is the maxillary artery in the infratemporal fossa?
[2] The maxillary artery originates within the parotid gland and travels anteriorly toward where it is between the neck of the mandible and sphenomandibular ligament at which point the artery is now in the infratemporal fossa and usually lateral to the lateral pterygoid muscle.
What are the boundaries of the infratemporal fossa?
The boundaries of the infratemporal fossa occur:
- anteriorly, by the infratemporal surface of the maxilla, and the ridge which descends from its zygomatic process.
- posteriorly, by the tympanic part of the temporal bone, and the spina angularis of the sphenoid.
How does the maxillary artery enter the pterygopalatine fossa?
The maxillary artery, the larger of the two terminal branches of the external carotid artery, arises behind the neck of the mandible, and is at first imbedded in the substance of the parotid gland; it passes forward between the ramus of the mandible and the sphenomandibular ligament, and then runs, either superficial …
Which structure forms the lateral boundary of the infratemporal fossa?
The infratemporal fossa is bounded superiorly by the floor of the middle cranial fossa (squamous temporal bone and greater wing of the sphenoid), posteriorly by the cervical vertebrae, laterally by the mandibular ramus and condyle, and medially by the lateral pterygoid plate, pterygopalatine fossa, nasopharynx, and …
What is the posterior boundary of the infratemporal fossa?
The maxilla forms the anterior border of the cavity, and the styloid and condylar processes form the posterior border. Medially, the sphenoid and the palatine bones form a vertical bony rest, and laterally, the ramus and the coronoid process cover the opening of the fossa.
What are the branches of maxillary artery?
Five branches, each of which enters a bony foramen:
- deep auricular artery (enters squamotympanic fissure)
- anterior tympanic artery (enters squamotympanic fissure)
- middle meningeal artery (enters foramen spinosum)
- accessory meningeal artery (enters foramen ovale)
- inferior alveolar artery (enters mandibular foramen)
How is the maxillary artery divided?
The maxillary artery is divided into three portions by its relation to the lateral pterygoid muscle: first (mandibular) part: posterior to lateral pterygoid muscle (five branches) second (pterygoid or muscular) part: within lateral pterygoid muscle (five branches)
What is Pterygopalatine fossa?
The pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) is a cone-shaped depression deep to the infratemporal fossa and posterior to the maxilla on both sides of the skull. The fossa is located between the pterygoid process and the maxillary tuberosity, close to the orbital apex.
What connects the orbit with the infratemporal fossa?
The maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve enters the pterygopalatine fossa through foramen rotundum and the mandibular branch enters the infratemporal fossa through foramen ovale. (Image courtesy of AL Rhoton, Jr.)
What are branches of third part of maxillary artery?
Third (Pterygopalatine) Segment. The third maxillary artery segment branches into the posterior superior dental (alveolar) artery, infraorbital artery, descending palatine artery, sphenopalatine artery, pharyngeal artery, artery of the foramen rotundum, and artery of the pterygoid canal (Vidian artery) (Fig 3).
