Morphometric Analysis of Pterygomaxillary Fissure in Dry Skulls and its Clinical Significance During Head and Neck...

The divergence of the maxilla from the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone forms the pterygomaxillary fissure, which lies in the medial part of the infratemporal fossa. It transmits the posterior superior alveolar nerve and the terminal segment of the internal maxillary artery and connects the infratemporal fossa with the pterygopalatine fossa. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the height, width and distance of the pterygomaxillary fissure from the zygomatic bone, articular tubercle, and zygomatico-temporal suture. Forty dry human skulls were examined by the Department of Anatomy. Using a digital caliper, the right and left sides of the skulls of both sexes were measured for height, width, and distance from the upper end of the pterygomaxillary fissure to the articular tubercle of the zygomatic arch (AB), zygomaticotemporal suture (AC), and zygomatic body (AD). The average height of the pterygomaxillary fissure was 22.68 mm in males & 22.34 mm in females, the width was 7.33 mm in males & 7.22 mm in females, distance from the articular tubercle (AB) was 33.37 mm in males & 31.79 mm in female, zygomatic temporal suture (AC) was 36.91 mm in male & 34.89 mm in female, zygomatic bone (AD) was 29.88 mm in male &28.44 mm in female. There is no statistically significant difference between the right and left sides of the skulls of both genders. Because fissures smaller than 2 mm may prevent neurostimulator implants from being inserted into the pterygopalatine fossa, this study attempted to determine the location of the pterygomaxillary fissure using the three anatomical markers. Therefore, caution should be exercised when performing maxillofacial procedures on female patients.