Sphenoidal process of palatine bone

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Bone: Sphenoidal process of palatine bone
Left palatine bone. Nasal aspect. Enlarged.
Left palatine bone. Posterior aspect. Enlarged.
Latin	processus sphenoidalis
Gray's	subject #41 169

The sphenoidal process of the palatine bone is a thin, compressed plate, much smaller than the orbital, and directed upward and medialward.

It presents three surfaces and two borders.

• The superior surface articulates with the root of the pterygoid process and the under surface of the sphenoidal concha, its medial border reaching as far as the ala of the vomer; it presents a groove which contributes to the formation of the pharyngeal canal.

• The medial surface is concave, and forms part of the lateral wall of the nasal cavity.

• The lateral surface is divided into an articular and a non-articular portion: the former is rough, for articulation with the medial pterygoid plate; the latter is smooth, and forms part of the pterygopalatine fossa.

• The anterior border forms the posterior boundary of the sphenopalatine notch.

• The posterior border, serrated at the expense of the outer table, articulates with the medial pterygoid plate.

The orbital and sphenoidal processes are separated from one another by the sphenopalatine notch. Sometimes the two processes are united above, and form between them a complete foramen, or the notch may be crossed by one or more spicules of bone, giving rise to two or more foramina.

Additional images

Articulation of left palatine bone with maxilla.

Base of skull. Inferior surface.

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Bones of head and neck: the facial bones of the skull
Maxilla	Surfaces Anterior: fossae (Incisive fossa, Canine fossa) - Infraorbital foramen - Anterior nasal spine Infratemporal: Alveolar canals - Maxillary tuberosity Orbital: Infraorbital groove - Infraorbital canal Nasal: Pterygopalatine canal Processes Zygomatic process Frontal process (Agger nasi, Anterior lacrimal crest) Alveolar process Palatine process (Incisive foramen, Incisive canals, Foramina of Scarpa, Incisive bone, Anterior nasal spine) Other Body of maxilla - Maxillary sinus
Zygomatic	Orbital process (Zygomatico-orbital) - Temporal process (Zygomaticotemporal) - Lateral process (Zygomaticofacial)
Palatine	Fossae Pterygopalatine fossa - Pterygoid fossa Plates Horizontal plate (Posterior nasal spine) - Perpendicular plate (Pterygopalatine canal, Sphenopalatine foramen, Pyramidal process) Processes Orbital - Sphenoidal
Mandible	Body external surface (Symphysis menti, Mental protuberance, Mental foramen) - internal surface (Mental spine, Mylohyoid line, Sublingual fovea, Submandibular fovea) - Alveolar part of mandible Ramus Mylohyoid groove (Mandibular canal, Lingula) - Mandibular foramen - Angle Coronoid process - Mandibular notch - Condyloid process
Minor/ nose	Nasal bone: Internasal suture - Nasal foramina Inferior nasal concha: Ethmoidal process - Maxillary process Vomer: Wing Lacrimal: Posterior lacrimal crest - Lacrimal groove - Lacrimal hamulus

Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content

Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .