Retromandibular fossa
The retromandibular fossa (Latin: pit behind the lower jaw ) is an anatomical space on the side of the neck.
The boundaries of the retromandibular fossa are:
- the outer ear canal (above)
- the branch of the lower jaw (front),
- the throat (medial)
- the sternocleidomastoid muscle (rear)
- the digastric and stylohyoid muscles (below).
The main structure of the retromandibular fossa is the parotid gland ( glandula parotidea ) with its duct ( ductus parotideus ). The retromandibular vein and the intraparotid plexus of the facial nerve run between its superficial and deep part . Other structures are the external carotid artery , which here in its terminal branches ( maxillary artery and temporal artery superficial splits), and the nerve auriculotemporalis of the mandibular nerve .
The retromandibular fossa is in contact with the submandibular trigonum and the lateropharygeus space .
In the case of inflammatory swelling of the parotid gland, e.g. B. in mumps , the nerves running here can be compressed and cause pain.
literature
- Benninghoff, Drenckhahn et al .: Anatomie Vol. 1. Elsevier, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-437-42342-0 .
- Entry on the retromandibular fossa in the Flexikon , a Wiki of the DocCheck company
- Entry in Wikibooks