Page 386 - Clinical Anatomy

ECA6 7/18/06 6:54 PM Page 371

The cranial nerves 371

Trigeminal
ganglion

Ophthalmic
nerve
Chorda
tympani (VII) Maxillary
nerve

Chorda
tympani (VII)
Mandibular nerve
Tongue
Lingual nerve

Inferior alveolar nerve

Fig. 260◊Distribution of the trigeminal nerve.

central part of the trigeminal ganglion, close to the cavernous sinus, it
leaves the skull by way of the foramen rotundum and emerges into the upper
part of the pterygopalatine fossa. Here it gives off a number of branches
before continuing through the inferior orbital fissure and the infra-orbital
canal as the infra-orbital nerve which supplies the skin of the cheek and
lower eyelid.
The maxillary nerve has the following named branches:
1◊◊the zygomatic nerve, whose zygomaticotemporal and zygomaticofacial
branches supply the skin of the temple and cheek respectively;
2◊◊superior alveolar (dental) branches to the teeth of the upper jaw; and
3◊◊the branches from the pterygopalatine ganglion, which run a descending
course and are distributed as follows: the greater and lesser palatine nerves,
which pass through the corresponding palatine foramina to supply the
mucous membrane of the hard and soft palates, the uvula and the tonsils,
and the mucous membrane of the nose and a pharyngeal branch supplying
the mucosa of the nasopharynx. The nasopalatine nerve (long sphenopala-
tine) supplies the nasal septum then emerges through the incisive canal of
the hard palate to supply the gum behind the incisor teeth. The posterior
superior lateral nasal nerves (short sphenopalatine) supply the posterosupe-
rior lateral wall of the nose.

The pterygopalatine ganglion

Associated with the maxillary division of V as it lies in the pterygopalatine