Anatomy (Topographic) · MU Sofia

232. Infratemporal region.

Covers the infratemporal fossa as an extracranial space deep to the mandibular ramus, listing what it holds: masticatory muscles, mandibular nerve branches, the maxillary artery, the pterygoid venous plexus, and parts of the parotid gland and buccal fat pad. It then sets out the five boundaries, a numbered list of passages such as the foramen ovale, foramen spinosum and pterygomaxillary fissure with their contents, and the layered arrangement of structures within the fossa. Clinical notes on infections and neoplastic processes close the note.

Inside: 5 sections · 3 labelled pictures · 16 flashcards · 2 min

Topic 3 of 40 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Anatomy (Topographic) (Medicine, Year 2). The free AceMed note covers it in 5 sections, about 285 words (2 min of reading), with 16 flashcards.

In this note

  1. INFRATEMPORAL Region
  2. Boundaries
  3. Passages
  4. Content
  5. Clinical Significance:

INFRATEMPORAL Region

The infratemporal fossa is an extracranial space located deep to the ramus of the mandible. It contains the masticatory muscles, branches of the mandibular nerve and maxillary artery and the venous pterygoid plexus. It also contains part of the parotid gland and part of the buccal fat pad.

Boundaries

  1. 1 Cranially: sphenoidal bone – infratemporal surface of the greater wing, temporal bone – squamous part
  2. 2 Ventrally: maxillary tuberosity
  3. 3 Dorsally: continues as the prestyloid space
  4. 4 Medially: sphenoidal bone – lateral plate of pterygoid process
  5. 5 Laterally: ramus of mandible

Passages

  1. 1 Foramen ovale
  2. 1.1 Mandibular nerve
  3. 1.2 Venous plexus of foramen ovale
  4. 2 Foramen spinosum
  5. 2.1 Middle meningeal artery and vein
  6. 2.2 Meningeal branch of the mandibular nerve
  7. 3 Mandibular foramen
  8. 3.1 Inferior alveolar nerve
  9. 3.2 Inferior alveolar artery and vein
  10. 4 Pterygomaxillary fissure
  11. 4.1 Maxillary artery
  12. 4.2 Venous tributaries to the pterygoid plexus
  13. 5 Petrotympanic fissure
  14. 5.1 Chorda tympani
  15. 5.2 Anterior tympanic artery and vein
  16. 5.3 Anterior ligament of malleus
  17. 6 Foramen lacerum / sphenopetrosal synchondrosis
  18. 7 Foramen petrosum
  19. 7.1 Lesser petrosal nerve
  20. 8 Alveolar foramina of maxillary tuberosity
  21. 8.1 Posterior superior alveolar branches of the maxillary nerve
  22. 8.2 Posterior superior alveolar arteries and veins

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