The infratemporal fossa is an irregularly shaped space situated at the base of the skull below the temporal fossa and deep to the ramus of the mandible.

The infratemporal fossa communicates with the temporal fossa located above it via the space to the zygomatic arch and with the pterygopalatine fossa via the pterygomaxillary fissure.

Walls

The walls of the infratemporal fossa are formed by bones and soft tissue:

Superior wall (roof) - formed by the infratemporal surface of the greater wing of the sphenoid;
Inferior wall (floor) - by the medial pterygoid muscle;
Lateral wall - by the condylar process and medial surface of the mandibular ramus and zygomatic arch (the arch is partly removed for better visualisation of the fossa);
Medial wall - by the lateral pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone;
Posterior wall - formed by the carotid sheath;
Anterior wall - by the infratemporal surface of the maxilla and posterior surface of the maxillary sinus.

Contents

The main structures passing the infratemporal fossa are listed below.

Openings

There are several openings in the walls of the infratemporal fossa transmitting nerves and blood vessels.

The main openings are listed below:

Foramen spinosum - connects the infratemporal fossa with the middle cranial fossa; transmits the middle meningeal artery and vein, and meningeal branch of the mandibular nerve (CN V3);
Foramen ovale - connects the infratemporal fossa with the middle cranial fossa; transmits the mandibular nerve (CN V3), accessory meningeal artery, lesser petrosal nerve, and an emissary vein;
Petrotympanic fissure - connects the tympanic cavity with the infratemporal fossa; transmits the anterior tympanic branch of the internal maxillary artery, chorda tympani, and contains the anterior ligament of malleus;
Pterygomaxillary fissure - connects the pterygopalatine fossa with the infratemporal fossa; transmits the posterior superior alveolar nerve from the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V2) and the terminal part of the maxillary artery;
Alveolar foramina - connects alveolar canals with the infratemporal fossa; transmit posterior superior alveolar vessels and nerves;
Mandibular foramen - connects mandibular canal leading to the mental foramen located on the external surface of the base of the mandible with the infratemporal fossa; transmits mental nerve and artery;
Inferior orbital fissure - connects the orbit with the infratemporal fossa; transmits the infraorbital artery (from the maxillary artery) and vein, zygomatic nerve from the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve (CN V2), branch of the inferior ophthalmic vein, orbital ganglionic branches of the pterygopalatine ganglion.

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Infratemporal fossa