Pterygopalatine fossa is also known as sphenoplatine fossa. It
is pyramidal shape space situated deeply below the apex of the orbit .it is a
bilateral structure.
Pterygoplatine fossa anteriorly bounded by posterior surface
of the superormedial part of body of maxilla , posterily by root of pterygoid process
and adjoining part of greater wing of
the sphenoid bone . Medially it is bounded by perpendicular plate of palatine
bone. Latterly fossa opens into infratempral fossa through the pterygomaxillary
fissure. Superiorly bounded by inferior surface of the body of sphenoid bone. Inferiorly
fossa closed by pyramidal process of the palatine bone.
Pterygopltine fossa superiorly opens into orbit through the
infraorbital fissure, inferiorly into oral cavity through the greater and
lesser palatine foramen. Medially open into nasal cavity through sphenoplatine
foramen .Posteriorly open into idle cranial fossa through foramen rotundum ,
into foramen lacerum through pterygoid canal, nasopharynx through palatovaginal
canal
Pterygopalatine fossa contain third part of the maxillary
artery and its branches and maxillary nerve with pterygopalatine ganglion and
their branches
Third part of maxillary artery enters the pterygoplatine
fossa through the pterygomaxillry fissure and gives branches within it. Branches
of third of maxillary artery are infraorbital artery which runs in the infrorbital
fissure, sphenoplatine artery runs into nasal cavity through sphenopaltine
foramen, posterior superior alveolar artery, greater palatine artery, pharyngeal
artery, and artery of pterygoid canal
Maxillary nerve within the ptergopalatine fossa gives two
sensory branches to the pterygoplatine ganglion, zyomatic nerve and posterior
superior alveolar nerve.
Ptergopalatine ganglion lies below the maxillary nerve it act
as relay station for parasympathetic nerve which supply to the lacrimal gland, nasal mucosa, mucosa of
hard and soft palate , nsaopharynx . Branches of pterygoplatine ganglion are
similar to the branches of third pat of maxillary artery. Branches are greater
and lesser palatine nerve, sphnolatine nerve, pharyngeal branch, orbital
branch, lacrimal branch