The clinical anatomy of bony pterygopalatine fossa related with endoscopic surgery

Objective: To provide anatomic data of bony structures of pterygopalatine fossa for skull base surgery under the endoscope. Methods: The bony structures of the pterygopalatine fossa were observed on 15 dry skulls. The shape and construction of pterygopalatine fossa and its relationship with adjacent structures were analyzed. Some related measurements were made. Results: The pterygopalatine fossa showed a long and narrow cleft with seven paths communicating with nasal cavity, mouth cavity, pharynx, orbit, infratemporal fossa and middle cranial fossa. The distances from pterygomaxillary fissures to the beneath midpoints of the zagmatic arch were 33.6±6.0 mm. 70% of sphenopalatine foramen lay on the posterior extremity of the middle turbinate, 30% were separated to two parts by the middle turbinate and no were under the middle turbinate. With endoscope,the pterygopalatine fossa could be observed as a whole. Conclusions: The data of our study could be regarded as the important anatomical parameters for the operation in pterygopalatine fossa adopting endoscopic transnasal surgery.