Greater Wing Of The Sphenoid Showing Its Maxillary Surface

Description

Greater wing of the sphenoid is oriented to emphasize its maxillary surface, the anteriorly facing, pitted area that abuts the posterior aspect of the maxilla and opens toward the pterygopalatine fossa. Foramen rotundum perforates this surface and lies medial to the broader expanse of the greater wing, forming a distinct canal between the middle cranial fossa and the extracranial skull base. Lateral to the foramen, the bone thickens toward the temporal surface, while superiorly it blends toward the sphenoid’s contribution to the cranial vault and the floor of the middle cranial fossa. Small vascular grooves and irregular depressions on the maxillary surface reflect adjacent neurovascular relationships rather than muscle attachment. Foramen rotundum transmits the maxillary nerve (CN V2), making this area central to discussions of trigeminal sensory pathways and skull base corridors. Pathology in the pterygopalatine fossa, including juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, schwannoma, or perineural tumor spread along V2, often tracks toward this foramen, and its bony margins help orient surgeons and radiologists when mapping extension on CT or MR. Bony detail matters here. The fixed perspective helps you localize the foramen relative to the pitted maxillary surface without distraction from neighboring foramina on the infratemporal surface (foramen ovale and foramen spinosum). Use this illustration in head and neck anatomy teaching, dental and maxillofacial curricula, and neurosurgical or ENT publications covering pterygopalatine fossa approaches, V2 blocks, and skull base tumor spread pathways. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.