fig5

Figure 5. Coronal view of the pterygo-palatine fossa in a cadaveric specimen. Once that the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus is opened, the maxillary artery and the pterygopalatine ganglion are exposed (left). A large sphenoidotomy is performed to illustrate the close relationships between the different structures. Once that the vidian nerve is identified, it can be followed posteriorly until the foramen lacerum and the petrous ICA (right). ICA: internal carotid artery