Where is pterygoid plexus found?
The pterygoid plexus is a complex of veins located in the infratemporal fossa of the skull with comprehensive connections to surrounding veins and anatomical structures.
What is the function of the pterygoid plexus of veins?
The pterygoid plexus functions to return the blood to the heart; this occurs during the movement of the lateral pterygoid, generating a pumping action of the blood back to the heart.
What drains into the pterygoid plexus?
The pterygoid plexus drains many deep structures of the head, including the palate, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, auditory tube and deep parts of the scalp in the temporal region. It is continued by a short maxillary vein, which lies deep to the neck of the mandible.
What are the veins that contribute to the pterygoid venous plexus?
The pterygoid plexus of veins becomes the maxillary vein. The maxillary vein and the superficial temporal vein later join to become the retromandibular vein. The posterior branch of the retromandibular vein and posterior auricular vein then form the external jugular vein, which empties into the subclavian vein.
What is the plexus?
A plexus is a bundle of intersecting nerves, blood vessels, or lymphatic vessels in the human body. These bundles typically originate from the same anatomical area and serve specific areas of the body. Bundles of nerves that form a plexus communicate information to your brain about pain, temperature, and pressure.
What is retromandibular vein?
The retromandibular vein (temporomaxillary vein, posterior facial vein) is a major vein of the face. Posterior facial vein. Veins of the head and neck. (retromandibular vein visible at center). Dissection, showing salivary glands of right side (retromandibular vein visible at bottom center).
What is the importance of pterygoid plexus to dentistry?
It is an important region because of the potential to spread dental infection; it can also be inadvertently penetrated when administering a block injection of the posterior superior alveolar nerve, potentially resulting in a haematoma.
What are Pterygoids?
Pterygoid muscles. The pterygoid muscles are two of the four muscles of mastication, located in the infratemporal fossa of the skull. These muscles are: lateral pterygoid and medial pterygoid. The primary function of the pterygoid muscles is to produce movements of the mandible at the temporomandibular joint.
What connects pterygoid plexus to cavernous sinus?
The pterygoid plexus communicates with the cavernous sinus through the foramina ovale, spinosum, and rotundum. Blood also leaves the superior and inferior ophthalmic veins to enter first the anterior facial vein, then goes to a separate channel that connects the internal and external jugular veins.
What is the significance of the pterygoid plexus of veins in dentistry?
What are the 4 nerve plexuses?
Of the four major nerve plexuses (cervical, brachial, lumbar, and sacral), only the brachial plexus and sacral plexus can be assessed satisfactorily in the EDX laboratory. Fortunately, disorders of the brachial plexus are far more common than any of the other plexuses.
What are the 5 nerve plexus?
The following table shows the nerves that arise from each spinal plexus as well as the spinal level each plexus arises from….Spinal plexuses.
| Spinal Plexus | Spinal Level | Nerves (superior to inferior) |
|---|---|---|
| Brachial Plexus | C5 – T1 | · Musculocutaneous · Axillary · Radial · Median · Ulnar |
What is retromandibular groove?
An obsolete term for a wedged space posterior to the ramus of the mandible and anteroinferior to the external auditory meatus, which is primarily occupied by the parotid gland.
What is emissary vein?
The emissary veins are valveless vessels which connect the superficial veins of the scalp with deeper veins, e.g. diploic veins of the skull bones.
What is Pterygoid Hamulus?
The pterygoid hamulus is a hook-shaped bony process located bilaterally on each medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone, posterior and medial to each maxillary tuberosity. These processes project downward and anterolaterally; serve as attachment for ligaments and a network of muscles.
Why is it called pterygoid?
In many mammals it remains as a separate bone called the pterygoid bone. Its name is Greek for “resembling a fin or wing”, from its shape.
Does pterygoid plexus drain into cavernous sinus?
The inferior ophthalmic vein may drain posteriorly directly into the cavernous sinus or to the pterygoid plexus. The pterygoid plexus communicates with the cavernous sinus through the foramina ovale, spinosum, and rotundum.
Where is the pterygoid plexus located?
The pterygoid plexus is a network of numerous veins that surround the pterygoid segment of the maxillary artery. It is found in the infratemporal fossa, lying partly between temporal and lateral pterygoid muscles, and partly between the lateral and medial pterygoid muscles.
What is the function of the pterygoid venous plexus?
It is located within the infratemporal fossa, lying partly between temporal and lateral pterygoid muscle, and partly between the lateral and medial pterygoid muscles. The function of the pterygoid venous plexus is to collect the blood from the palate, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, and auditory tube.
What does the pterygoid plexus drain?
The pterygoid plexus drains many deep structures of the head, including the palate, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, auditory tube and deep parts of the scalp in the temporal region. It is continued by a short maxillary vein, which lies deep to the neck of the mandible.
What connects the cavernous sinus and the pterygoid plexus?
This emissary vein connects the cavernous sinus and the pterygoid plexus (Mettler, 1948 ). The analogy is suggested by the similar location of the interpterygoid foramen of rats and the foramen of Vesalius in humans because both are situated medial to the foramen ovale.