Anatomical study of the pterygoalar bridge and the foramen crotaphitico-buccinatorius in dry skulls

Abstract

The pterygoalar ligament is an intrinsic ligament of the sphenoid bone located at the base of the skull that establishes syntopy with several structures. The ossification of this ligament results in the formation of the pterygoalar bridge and the crotaphytic-bucinatory foramen, it constitutes an important inconstant structure of the infratemporal fossa for clinical purposes. The present work aims to the topographic and morphometric description of the complete formation of the pterygoalar bridge and its prevalence, addressing the clinical implications of this formation. Twenty dry skulls of adult individuals from both sexes were analyzed, identifying the formation of the complete pterygoalar bridge on the right side in 10% of the samples with variation in the diameters of the bucinatory crotaphytic foramen. These findings disagree with the predominant data in the literature regarding the frequency, side and age of formation and may contribute to the understanding of the pathological processes associated with this region, since the formation of these bridges is directly related to neuralgias of compressive origin, with motor repercussions and sensory. These results point to the need for further studies on these bone formations and their clinical importance. Keywords: Pterygoalar ligament; Infratemporal fossa; Skull base; Anatomy.