Inferior orbital fissure

The inferior orbital fissure is a gap between the greater wing of sphenoid bone, and the maxilla. It connects the orbit (anteriorly) with the infratemporal fossa and pterygopalatine fossa (posteriorly).^[1]: 397

Anatomy

The medial end of the inferior orbital fissure diverges laterally from the medial end of the superior orbital fissure. It is situated between the lateral wall of the orbit and the floor of the orbit.^[1]: 397

Contents

The fissure gives passage to multiple structures, including:

• Infraorbital nerve,^[1]: 402 artery^[1]: 364 and vein^{[citation needed]}
• Inferior ophthalmic vein^{[1]: 364, 403}
• Zygomatic nerve^[1]: 496
• Orbital branches of the pharyngeal nerve^[1]: 370
• Maxillary nerve

Additional images

• 
  Left infratemporal fossa.
• 
  Horizontal section of nasal and orbital cavities.
• 
  Dissection showing origins of right ocular muscles, and nerves entering by the superior orbital fissure.
• 
  Inferior orbital fissure.

See also

• Foramina of skull
• Superior orbital fissure

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 189 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inferior orbital fissure.

• lesson3 at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University) (orbitforamina) (#3)
• "Anatomy diagram: 34256.000-1". Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator. Elsevier. Archived from the original on 2012-12-27.
• "Anatomy diagram: 34257.000-1". Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator. Elsevier. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22.