Vascular changes in the pterygopalatine fossa after craniofacial dysjunction surgery

A study was undertaken to determine vascular changes and the timing of these changes after craniofacial dysjunction surgery. Ten adult male Macaca cynomulgus monkeys were studied with techniques using angiograms and vascular vinyl cast preparations before and after unilateral Le Fort III osteotomy. After surgical disruption of the maxillary artery, the flow of blood was initially maintained by anastomotic branches of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. Stepwise reconstruction of the disrupted maxillary artery took place via numerous collateral vessels that bridged the site of disruption; continuity of the artery was nearly normal by five weeks.