Pterygomaxillary fissure

Pterygomaxillary fissure
Left infratemporal fossa. (Pterygomaxillary fissure labeled at bottom left.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	fissura pterygomaxillaris
TA	A02.1.00.026
FMA	76627
*Anatomical terminology* [edit on Wikidata]

The pterygomaxillary fissure is a fissure of the human skull. It is vertical, and descends at right angles from the medial end of the inferior orbital fissure; it is a triangular interval, formed by the divergence of the maxilla from the pterygoid process of the sphenoid.

It connects the infratemporal with the pterygopalatine fossa, and transmits the terminal part of the maxillary artery. The posterior superior alveolar nerve of the maxillary nerve goes from the pterygopalatine fossa to the infratemporal region via this fissure.

In older texts, the pterygomaxillary fissure is sometimes called the pterygopalatine fissure.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

Anatomy figure: 27:02-01 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center
UNC.edu

Compound structures of skull

Neurocranium	Calvaria Diploë Asterion Pterion Stephanion Inion Bregma Lambda Fossae anterior middle posterior cranial cavity Base of skull Fontanelle anterior posterior sphenoidal mastoid

Facial skeleton	Nasion Gonion

Both	dacryon zygomatic arch temporal fossa infratemporal fossa pterygomaxillary fissure pterygopalatine fossa

Foramina of the skull (and canals, fissures, meatus, and hiatus)

Anterior cranial fossa

to Orbit:	ethmoidal foramina anterior posterior

to Nasal cavity:	olfactory foramina (CN-I) foramen cecum

Middle cranial fossa

to Orbit:	optic canal (CN-II) superior orbital fissure (CN-III,IV,V1,VI)

to Pterygopalatine fossa:	foramen rotundum (CN-V2) pterygoid canal

to Infratemporal fossa:	foramen ovale (CN-V3) foramen spinosum/carotid canal

other:	foramen lacerum hiatus for greater petrosal nerve hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve sphenoidal emissary foramen

Posterior cranial fossa

internal auditory meatus/facial canal/stylomastoid foramen (CN-VII,VIII)
jugular foramen (CN-IX,X,XI)
foramen magnum (CN-XI)
hypoglossal canal (CN-XII)
condylar canal
mastoid foramen

Orbit

to Nasal cavity:	nasolacrimal canal

to face:	supraorbital notch foramen infraorbital foramen groove zygomatic foramen -facial -temporal

to Pterygopalatine fossa:	inferior orbital fissure

other:	Inferior orbital fissure Fossa for lacrimal sac

Pterygopalatine fossa

to Nasal cavity:	sphenopalatine foramen

to Oral cavity:	greater palatine canal foramen lesser palatine canals foramina

to Infratemporal fossa:	pterygomaxillary fissure

to Nasopharynx:	palatovaginal canal

to oral cavity:	incisive canals incisive foramen

to nasal cavity:	Foramen vomerinum Meatus vomerinus Fissura vomerina Hiatus vomerinus

Other

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