Our main topic is the pterygopalatine fossa, including its bony skeleton and nerves, as well as the maxillary artery and its branches. We will also touch on the veins associated with the pterygopalatine fossa. Let's begin by discussing each of these topics in detail.
https://youtu.be/o_JbDynMZjo?si=pToGPrhXqx1Z4W_M
https://youtu.be/wM2_hR3gKMU?si=aNWQ3B_v2HPrnaKK
https://youtu.be/VHEU-6bvES8?si=4fwkEE3bV2_Ug6G2
The pterygopalatine fossa is an important space that communicates with several surrounding organs: the orbit, nasopharynx, oral cavity, nose (via the spheno-palatine foramen), middle cranial fossa, and infra-temporal fossa. This means it has a total of 6 communications. These communications play a crucial role in providing blood supply and innervation to the surrounding organs.
Our focus is to understand each foramen that connects the pterygopalatine fossa with other organs, as well as the type of supply (nerve, artery, or vein) that passes through each foramen. It's important to note that the pterygopalatine fossa is located between the sphenoid bone, maxilla, and palatine bone.
The walls of the pterygopalatine fossa are formed by: