Infratemporal Fossa

The subtemporal fossa is the caudal continuation of the temporal fossa. The name comes from the relation to the m. temporalis. The fossa continues as fossa pterygopalatina.

Boundary
Cranially: facies infratemporalis ossis sphenoidalis, pars squamosa ossis temporalis

Ventrally: tuber maxillae

Dorsally: spatium prestyloideum

Medially': lamina lateralis processus pterygoidei ossis sphenoidalis, processus pyramidalis ossis palatini

Lateral: ramus mandibulae

Passages
Foramen ovale' Foramen spinosum' Foramen mandibulae' Fissura pterygomaxillaris' Fissura petrotympanica' Foramen lacerum' Foramen petrosum' Foramina alveolaria tuberis maxillae'
 * third branch of the trigeminal nerve - nervus mandibularis
 * venous connections - plexus venosus foraminis ovalis
 * branch from the third branch of the trigeminus nerve – ramus meningeus
 * middle meningeal artery, middle meningeal vein
 * nervus, arteria et vena alveolaris inferior
 * venous tributaries to plexus pterygoideus
 * maxillary artery
 * anterior tympanic artery and vein
 * chorda tympani
 * synchondrosis sphenopetrosa
 * minor petrosal nerve
 * rami alveolares superiores posteriores

Contents

 * m. pterygoideus medialis et lateralis
 * m. temporalis
 * a. maxillaris and its branches: a. meningea media, a. alveolaris inferior, a. buccalis, a. temporales profundae, a. tympanica anterior and muscle branches in the pars pterygoidea
 * pterygoid plexus


 * n. mandibularis and its branches: n. auriculotemporalis, n. alveolaris inferior, n. lingualis, n. buccalis and then chorda tympani, n. petrosus minor
 * otic ganglion
 * corpus adiposum buccae – fat body filling the cheeks

Related Articles

 * Skull Spaces
 * Pterygopalatine fossa
 * Fossa temporalis