Inferior orbital fissure
The inferior orbital fissure (IOF) lies in the floor of the orbit inferior to the superior orbital fissure and it is bounded superiorly by the greater wing of sphenoid, inferiorly by maxilla and orbital process of palatine bone and laterally by the zygomatic bone. It opens into posterolateral aspect of orbital floor. It joins medially with the pterygomaxillary fissure at right angle.
It transmits the:
- infra-orbital nerve (from the maxillary division of trigeminal nerve)
- zygomatic nerve (from the maxillary division of trigeminal nerve)
- a branch of the inferior ophthalmic vein and several emissary veins connecting it to the pterygoid venous plexus
- infra-orbital artery (from the maxillary artery) and vein
- orbital ganglionic branches of the pterygopalatine ganglion from the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve
Variant anatomy
The orbitalis muscle 2 is a small vestigial smooth muscle that may cover part of the the fissure of the infra-orbital groove where it blends in with the periosteum. It is of unknown significance in humans, but in some animal may help control the volume of the orbit and aid in autonomic regulation of orbital blood vessels.
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Head and neck
- skeleton of the head and neck
-
cranial vault
- scalp (mnemonic)
-
sutures
- calvarial
- facial
- frontozygomatic suture
- frontomaxillary suture
- frontolacrimal suture
- frontonasal suture
- temporozygomatic suture
- zygomaticomaxillary suture
- parietotemporal suture (parietomastoid suture)
- occipitotemporal suture (occipitomastoid suture)
- sphenofrontal suture
- sphenozygomatic suture
- spheno-occipital suture (not a true suture)
- lacrimomaxillary suture
- nasomaxillary suture
- internasal suture
- basal/internal
- skull landmarks
- frontal bone
- temporal bone
- parietal bone
- occipital bone
- skull base (foramina)
-
facial bones
- midline single bones
- paired bilateral bones
- cervical spine
- hyoid bone
- laryngeal cartilages
-
cranial vault
- muscles of the head and neck
- muscles of the tongue (mnemonic)
- muscles of mastication
- muscles of facial expression
- muscles of the middle ear
- orbital muscles
- muscles of the soft palate
- pharyngeal muscles
- suprahyoid muscles
- infrahyoid muscles
- intrinsic muscles of the larynx
- muscles of the neck
-
deep spaces of the neck
- anterior cervical space
- buccal space
- carotid space
- danger space
- deep cervical fascia
- infratemporal fossa
- masticator space
- parapharyngeal space
- parotid space
- pharyngeal (superficial) mucosal space
- perivertebral space
- posterior cervical space
- pterygopalatine fossa
- retropharyngeal space
- suprasternal space (of Burns)
- visceral space
- surgical triangles of the neck
- orbit
- ear
- paranasal sinuses
- nose
- oral cavity
- pharynx
- larynx
- viscera of the neck
- blood supply of the head and neck
-
arterial supply
-
common carotid artery
- carotid body
- carotid bifurcation
- subclavian artery
- variants
-
common carotid artery
- venous drainage
-
arterial supply
- innervation of the head and neck
-
cranial nerves
- olfactory nerve (CN I)
- optic nerve (CN II)
- oculomotor nerve (CN III)
- trochlear nerve (CN IV)
-
trigeminal nerve (CN V) (mnemonic)
- trigeminal ganglion
- ophthalmic division
- maxillary division
- mandibular division
- abducens nerve (CN VI)
- facial nerve (CN VII)
- vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
- glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
- vagus nerve (CN X)
- (spinal) accessory nerve (CN XI)
- hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)
- parasympathetic ganglia of the head and neck
- greater occipital nerve
-
cervical plexus
- muscular branches
- longus capitis
- longus colli
- scalenes
- geniohyoid
- thyrohyoid
-
ansa cervicalis
- omohyoid (superior and inferior bellies separately)
- sternothyroid
- sternohyoid
- phrenic nerve
- contribution to the accessory nerve (CN XI)
- cutaneous branches
- muscular branches
- brachial plexus
- pharyngeal plexus
-
cranial nerves
- lymphatic drainage of the head and neck
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