Infratemporal fossa

The Infratemporal Fossa is an irregularly shaped cavity, situated below and medial to the zygomatic arch. It is not completely enclosed in bone in all directions and is deep and inverted to the temporal fossa.

Anatomy

The Infratemporal Fossa is bounded by several anatomical structures:

• Laterally: by the ramus of the mandible, which contains the mandibular foramen and the lingula of the mandible.
• Medially: by the lateral pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone.
• Superiorly: by the greater wing of the sphenoid bone and the temporal bone.
• Inferiorly: by the attachment of the medial pterygoid muscle.
• Anteriorly: by the maxilla and the zygomatic bone.
• Posteriorly: by the styloid process, the mastoid process of the temporal bone, and the parotid gland.

Contents

The Infratemporal Fossa contains several important structures:

• Muscles: medial pterygoid muscle, lateral pterygoid muscle, and parts of the temporalis muscle.
• Nerves: branches of the mandibular nerve (V3), including the inferior alveolar nerve, lingual nerve, and buccal nerve.
• Vessels: maxillary artery and pterygoid venous plexus.
• Other: chorda tympani nerve, otic ganglion, and sphenomandibular ligament.

Clinical Significance

Due to its location and the vital structures it contains, the Infratemporal Fossa is clinically significant in several areas of medicine, including anesthesiology, dentistry, otolaryngology, and neurosurgery. Conditions that may involve the infratemporal fossa include temporomandibular joint disorder, trigeminal neuralgia, mandibular fractures, and tumors or infections that spread from the oral cavity or paranasal sinuses.

See Also

• Temporal Fossa
• Pterygopalatine Fossa
• Mandibular Nerve
• Maxillary Artery

References

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