Premium
A Graduated Endoscopic Multi‐Angle Approach for Access to the Infratemporal Fossa: A Cadaveric Study
Author(s) -
Murray Kim P.,
Friedel Mark E.,
Liu James K.,
Tessema Belachew,
Eloy Jean Anderson
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.22123
Subject(s) - otorhinolaryngology , medicine , infratemporal fossa , head and neck surgery , head and neck , neurosurgery , general surgery , surgery , skull
The infratemporal fossa (ITF) is a fascinating, complex anatomic region. It has communications to the orbit through the inferior orbital fissure, to the middle cranial fossa through the foramen spinosum, to the pterygopalatine fossa via the pterygomaxillary fissure, and with the parapharyngeal space inferiorly. Superiorly it is bordered by the squamous portion of the temporal bone and the inferior surface of the greater wing of the sphenoid bone, continuing cranially as the temporal space. Inferiorly it is bound by the superior limit of the posterior belly of the digastric muscles and the angle of the mandible anteriorly and continues posteriorly as the parapharyngeal space. The medial border is made of the superior constrictor muscle, the lateral portion of the clivus / first cervical vertebra and the pterygoid plates (inferior surface of petrous bone) while the lateral border is the zygomatic arch, ascending ramus of mandible, parotid gland, and masseter muscle. The anterior border is the posterior surface of maxilla while the posterior border is the mastoid and tympanic portions (articular tubercle) of the temporal bone, glenoid fossa, and styloid process.