Maxillary Artery Course — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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HardAnatomy (Head & Neck)Maxillary Artery CourseMFDS Part 1

During an operative approach, the third part of the maxillary artery is traced from the infratemporal fossa into the pterygopalatine fossa. Through which opening does the artery pass between these two fossae?

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Correct answer: B — Pterygomaxillary fissure

The correct answer is B, the pterygomaxillary fissure. This forms the lateral communication between the infratemporal and pterygopalatine fossae, and the third part of the maxillary artery enters the pterygopalatine fossa through it. The inferior orbital fissure communicates with the orbit and transmits the infraorbital neurovascular bundle. The sphenopalatine foramen leads medially into the nasal cavity and transmits the sphenopalatine artery. The foramen rotundum transmits the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve from the middle cranial fossa, while the pterygoid canal conveys the nerve and vessels of the pterygoid canal. These are all communications of the pterygopalatine fossa, but none carries the maxillary artery into it from the infratemporal fossa.

Reference: Fell M, Fenner L, Fallico N. Demystifying the Suprazygomatic Maxillary Nerve Block in Paediatric Cleft Palate Surgery, Figure 1 anatomical description. Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2025;62(11):1852–1860. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39257219/