What is the significance of the pterygoid plexus of veins in dentistry?
It is connected to the cavernous sinus and the pharyngeal venous plexus. 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 vein does the pterygoid plexus of veins empty?
maxillary vein
The plexus itself drains via the short maxillary vein before it forms the retromandibular vein.
How pterygoid venous plexus is formed?
The pterygoid venous plexus (plural: plexuses) is a small intercommunicating cluster of venules that is intimately related to the lateral pterygoid muscle, lying both intramuscularly and around the muscle. The plexus is formed by very small veins that are the venous counterparts to the branches of the maxillary artery.
Does the pterygoid plexus drain into the 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 plate located?
sphenoid bone
The pterygoid processes or pterygoid plates are paired posteroinferior projections of the sphenoid bone.
Where is the pharyngeal venous plexus?
pharynx
The pharyngeal plexus (venous) is a network of veins beginning on the outer surface of the pharynx, and, after receiving some posterior meningeal veins and the vein of the pterygoid canal, end in the internal jugular.
What is the pterygoid plexus and where is it located?
The pterygoid venous plexus is an extensive valveless plexus of veins that parallels the medial two thirds of the maxillary artery on the lateral aspect of the medial pterygoid muscle, within the infratemporal fossa.
What is the plexus?
1 : a network of anastomosing or interlacing blood vessels or nerves. 2 : an interwoven combination of parts or elements in a structure or system.
Where does the retromandibular vein drain?
The anterior branch anastomoses with the facial vein and forms the common facial vein, while the posterior branch anastomoses with the posterior auricular veins, forming the external jugular vein. The retromandibular vein drains the venous blood from the jaw, the lateral skull, and the parotid gland.
What is the Pterygoid region?
The pterygoid fossa is an anatomical term for the fossa formed by the divergence of the lateral pterygoid plate and the medial pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone.
What are pterygoid plates?
: either of two vertical plates making up a pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone: a : a broad thin plate that forms the lateral part of the pterygoid process and gives attachment to the lateral pterygoid muscle on its lateral surface and to the medial pterygoid muscle on its medial surface.
What is venous plexus?
The vertebral venous plexus is a highly anastomotic network of valveless veins running along the entire length of the vertebral column from the foramen magnum to the sacral hiatus.
Where is the venous plexus of the pterygoid?
The pterygoid venous plexus is a venous network that surrounds the pterygoid segment of the maxillary artery. It is located within the infratemporal fossa, lying partly between temporal and lateral pterygoid muscle, and partly between the lateral and medial pterygoid muscles.
What are the emissary veins of the pterygoid?
Emissary veins also anastomose between the plexus and the cavernous sinus, via the foramina ovale and lacerum. The veins of the pterygoid plexus have valves, and the plexus acts as a small pump assisting the return of blood by the contractions of the lateral pterygoid muscle.
Where is the plexus located in the body?
The pterygoid plexus (/ ˈtɛrɪɡɔɪd /; from Greek pteryx, “wing” and eidos, “shape”) is a venous plexus of considerable size, and is situated between the temporalis muscle and lateral pterygoid muscle, and partly between the two pterygoid muscles.
Where is the plexus of the maxillary artery?
The pterygoid venous plexus is an extensive valveless plexus of veins that parallels the medial two thirds of the maxillary artery on the lateral aspect of the medial pterygoid muscle, within the infratemporal fossa.