Pterygopalatine fossa
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The pterygopalatine fossa is a fossa in the skull.
Contents
Blood vessels
The internal maxillary artery branch of the carotid artery passes through the pterygopalatine fossa.[1]
Nerves
Components of several nerves pass through the pterygopalatine fossa.
Trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V)
The maxillary branch of the tyrigeminal nerve gives rise to the zygomatic nerve within the pterygopalatine fossa from the maxillary nerve.[2]
Fascial nerve (cranial nerve VII)
The pterygopalatine ganglion of the the fascial nerve lies in the pterygopalatine fossa. This is a parasympathetic ganglion that innervates the lacrimal gland.[3]
Parasympathetic nerves
The pterygopalatine ganglion is in the pterygopalatine fossa.
Sympathetic nerves
The sphenopalatine ganglion is in the pterygopalatine fossa.[3][2]
References
- ↑ Gray, Henry David (1918). “3a. 2. The External Carotid Artery”, Anatomy of the human body. Bartleby.com. ISBN 1-58734-102-6.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gray, Henry David (1918). “5e. The Trigeminal Nerve”, Anatomy of the human body. Bartleby.com. ISBN 1-58734-102-6.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Gray, Henry David (1918). “5g. The Facial Nerve”, Anatomy of the human body. Bartleby.com. ISBN 1-58734-102-6.