Vol 64, No 2 (2005)
Original article
Published online: 2005-03-03
An anatomical study of the pterygoalar bar and the pterygoalar foramen
Folia Morphol 2005;64(2):92-96.
Abstract
The paper presents anatomical considerations on the pterygoalar bar and the
pterygoalar foramen of the human skull. The pterygoalar bar is a bony bridge
that stretches between the lateral pterygoid lamina and the greater wing of the
sphenoid bone, while the space under this bar is termed the pterygoalar foramen.
These structures were noted in 5 out of 70 investigated skulls. The length
of the pterygoalar bar ranged from 4 to 8 mm, while the diameter of the pterygoalar
foramen ranged from 7 to 11 mm. The presence of the pterygoalar bar is
clinically important because it may disturb access to the foramen ovale during
anaesthesia of the trigeminal nerve.
Keywords: pterygospinous ligamentpterygospinous foramenforamen crotaphitico-buccinatoriumpterygoid processsphenoid bone
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