In human anatomy, the pterygopalatine fossa (sphenopalatine fossa) is a fossa in the skull. A human skull contains two pterygopalatine fossae—one on the left side, and another on the right side. Each fossa is a cone-shaped paired depression deep to the infratemporal fossa and posterior to the maxilla on each side of the skull, located between the pterygoid process and the maxillary tuberosity close to the apex of the orbit.[1] It is the indented area medial to the pterygomaxillary fissure leading into the sphenopalatine foramen. It communicates with the nasal and oral cavities, infratemporal fossa, orbit, pharynx, and middle cranial fossa through eight foramina.[2]

Pterygopalatine fossa
Left maxillary sinus opened from the exterior.
Human skull with entrance to pterygopalatine fossa marked in red
Details
Identifiers
Latinfossa pterygopalatina
MeSHD056739
TA98A02.1.00.025
TA2429
FMA75309
Anatomical terms of bone

Structure

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Boundaries

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It has the following boundaries:

Passages

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The following passages connect the fossa with other parts of the skull:[3]

Direction Passage Connection
Posteriorly foramen rotundum middle cranial fossa
pterygoid canal (Vidian) middle cranial fossa, foramen lacerum
palatovaginal canal (pharyngeal) nasal cavity/nasopharynx
Anteriorly inferior orbital fissure orbit
Medially sphenopalatine foramen nasal cavity
Laterally pterygomaxillary fissure infratemporal fossa
Inferiorly greater palatine canal (pterygopalatine) oral cavity,

lesser palatine canals

Functions

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The pterygopalatine fossa contains

See also

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Additional images

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References

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  1. ^ Illustrated Anatomy of the Head and Neck, Fehrenbach and Herring, Elsevier, 2012, page 69
  2. ^ Osborn, Anne (March 1979). "Radiology of the Pterygoid Plates and Pterygopalatine Fossa" (PDF). American Journal of Roentgenology. 132 (3): 389–394. doi:10.2214/ajr.132.3.389. PMID 106641.
  3. ^ Ryan, Stephanie (2011). "Chapter 1". Anatomy for diagnostic imaging (Third ed.). Elsevier Ltd. p. 35. ISBN 9780702029714.
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