OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS A subtemporal preauricular approach to the infratemporal fossa and parapharyngeal space has been the traditional path to tumors of this region. The morbidity associated with this procedure has lead to the pursuit of less invasive techniques. Endoscopic access using a minimally invasive transmaxillary/transpterygoid approach potentially may obviate the drawbacks associated ...

Iatrogenic tooth displacement is a rare complication during extraction of impacted molars, but displacement of a maxillary third molar into the maxillary sinus, infratemporal fossa, buccal space, pterygomandibular space, and lateral pharyngeal space has been reported. Currently, 6 published reports describe third molar displacement into the lateral pharyngeal space, only 1 of which involved the...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS While there are many benefits to the endoscopic endonasal approach to the infratemporal fossa, involvement of the petrous portion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) poses a unique challenge. The endoscopic endonasal approach requires establishing the relationship of the petrous ICA to anatomical landmarks to guide the surgeon. This study evaluates the relationship of pet...

OBJECTIVES To describe an unusual location for a common benign salivary gland neoplasm. STUDY DESIGN Case report and literature review. METHODS We describe an unusual lesion found in the infratemporal fossa on computed tomography of the facial skeleton, including the clinical presentation, workup, and surgical approach. A complete PubMed search of atypical presentations of pleomorphic adeno...

BACKGROUND Aneurysmal bone cysts are relatively uncommon in the facial skeleton. These usually affect the mandible but origin from the coronoid process is even rarer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a coronoid process aneurysmal bone cyst presenting as temporal fossa swelling. CASE PRESENTATION A 17 year old boy presented with a progressively increasing swelli...

Imaging is an integral part of head and neck cancer staging and assessing resectability. Accurate perception of imaging information by the clinician is possible only by effective communication between radiologist and surgeon. Traditionally, the radiologist studies the head neck region with two dimensional cross-sectional imaging. The surgeon perceives the head and neck region by real-time exper...

BACKGROUND Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) occasionally metastasizes to lung and bone, but rarely to skeletal muscles. In this study, we present an unusual case of metastasis of PTC to the infratemporal fossa of a previously treated patient with PTC. METHODS AND RESULTS A 74-year-old man with a diagnosis of PTC underwent subtotal thyroidectomy and neck dissection on the left side. Metastasi...

T he infratemporal fossa (ITF) is a rare anatomic site for abscess formation. Infections in this space have been found following maxillary sinusitis, maxillary sinus fracture, temporomandibular arthroscopy, dental infection, and tooth extraction. The ITF is bounded superiorly by the sphenoid bone, medially by the lateral pterygoid plate, anteriorly by the maxilla, posteriorly by the deep paroti...