Anatomy
Head and Neck
Question 113 of 190
The content of the infratemporal fossa includes all of the following structures EXCEPT for:
Answer:
The most important structures of the infratemporal fossa are the sphenomandibular ligament, medial and lateral pterygoid muscles, maxillary artery, mandibular nerve, chorda tympani nerve, lesser petrosal nerve and pterygoid venous plexus. The maxillary nerve does not pass through the infratemporal fossa.Infratemporal Fossa
Anatomy / Head and Neck / Infratemporal Fossa
Last Updated: 11th April 2019
The wedge-shaped infratemporal fossa lies inferior to the temporal fossa and the skull base, between the ramus of the mandible laterally and the wall of the pharynx medially.
Boundaries
Table: Anatomical Boundaries of the Infratemporal Fossa
| Space | Infratemporal Fossa |
|---|---|
| Roof | Inferior surface of greater wing of sphenoid and temporal bone |
| Lateral wall | Medial surface of ramus of mandible |
| Medial wall | Lateral plate of pterygoid process, pharynx and soft palate |
| Anterior wall | Posterior surface of maxilla |
| Contents | Sphenomandibular ligament, medial and lateral pterygoid muscles, maxillary artery, mandibular nerve, chorda tympani nerve, lesser petrosal nerve, pterygoid venous plexus |
- The roof is formed by the inferior surfaces of the greater wing of the sphenoid and the temporal bone, and is open superiorly to the temporal fossa.
- The lateral wall is the medial surface of the ramus of the mandible.
- The medial wall is formed anteriorly by the lateral plate of the pterygoid process and more posteriorly by the pharynx and by the tensor and levator veli palatini muscles of the soft palate.
- The anterior wall is formed by part of the posterior surface of the maxilla.
- Posteroinferiorly, the infratemporal fossa is open to the neck.
![Henry Vandyke Carter [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://mrcemsuccess.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/infratemporal-fossa.png)
Left Infratemporal Fossa. (Image by Henry Vandyke Carter [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
Contents
Major contents of this fossa include:
- the sphenomandibular ligament
- the medial and lateral pterygoid muscles
- the maxillary artery (and its branches including the middle meningeal artery)
- the mandibular nerve (and its sensory branches - the auriculotemporal, buccal, lingual and inferior alveolar nerves)
- the chorda tympani (branch of the facial nerve)
- the lesser petrosal nerve (originating from the glossopharyngeal nerve)
- the pterygoid plexus of veins
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- Biochemistry
- Blood Gases
- Haematology
| Biochemistry | Normal Value |
|---|---|
| Sodium | 135 – 145 mmol/l |
| Potassium | 3.0 – 4.5 mmol/l |
| Urea | 2.5 – 7.5 mmol/l |
| Glucose | 3.5 – 5.0 mmol/l |
| Creatinine | 35 – 135 μmol/l |
| Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) | 5 – 35 U/l |
| Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT) | < 65 U/l |
| Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) | 30 – 135 U/l |
| Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) | < 40 U/l |
| Total Protein | 60 – 80 g/l |
| Albumin | 35 – 50 g/l |
| Globulin | 2.4 – 3.5 g/dl |
| Amylase | < 70 U/l |
| Total Bilirubin | 3 – 17 μmol/l |
| Calcium | 2.1 – 2.5 mmol/l |
| Chloride | 95 – 105 mmol/l |
| Phosphate | 0.8 – 1.4 mmol/l |
| Haematology | Normal Value |
|---|---|
| Haemoglobin | 11.5 – 16.6 g/dl |
| White Blood Cells | 4.0 – 11.0 x 109/l |
| Platelets | 150 – 450 x 109/l |
| MCV | 80 – 96 fl |
| MCHC | 32 – 36 g/dl |
| Neutrophils | 2.0 – 7.5 x 109/l |
| Lymphocytes | 1.5 – 4.0 x 109/l |
| Monocytes | 0.3 – 1.0 x 109/l |
| Eosinophils | 0.1 – 0.5 x 109/l |
| Basophils | < 0.2 x 109/l |
| Reticulocytes | < 2% |
| Haematocrit | 0.35 – 0.49 |
| Red Cell Distribution Width | 11 – 15% |
| Blood Gases | Normal Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.35 – 7.45 |
| pO2 | 11 – 14 kPa |
| pCO2 | 4.5 – 6.0 kPa |
| Base Excess | -2 – +2 mmol/l |
| Bicarbonate | 24 – 30 mmol/l |
| Lactate | < 2 mmol/l |
