The spelling of "fissura orbitalis inferior" may seem intimidating at first, but it can be broken down using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The word begins with the "f" sound, followed by "ih" and "s" sounds. The next two syllables are "oo" and "r", pronounced as in "tour". The final three syllables include the sounds "b", "ih", and "oh". Overall, the pronunciation of "fissura orbitalis inferior" is simply "fih-SOO-rə or-BIH-təl-iss in-FIH-ree-uhr".
Fissura orbitalis inferior, also known as the inferior orbital fissure, is a specific anatomical feature located in the human skull. It is a narrow, elongated aperture that can be found in the orbital region of the face, specifically at the lower part of the orbit.
This fissure is formed by the junction of several bones of the skull, including the maxilla and the greater wing of the sphenoid bone. It extends horizontally from the back of the orbit towards the front, thus connecting the middle cranial fossa with the orbit itself.
The inferior orbital fissure serves as a passageway for various important structures and nerves that play a crucial role in the functioning of the eye and surrounding structures. It allows for the passage of the infraorbital nerve, an important sensory branch of the trigeminal nerve responsible for providing sensation to the skin of the lower eyelid, upper lip, and part of the cheek. Additionally, it serves as a pathway for the zygomatic nerve, the inferior ophthalmic vein, and various branches of the maxillary artery.
Understanding the anatomy and location of the fissura orbitalis inferior is essential for surgeons, radiologists, and other medical professionals, as it helps in the diagnosis and treatment of various pathologies and conditions affecting the eye and surrounding structures.
Inferior orbital fissure, aphenomaxillary fissure; a cleft between the greater wing of the sphenoid and the orbital plate of the maxilla, through which pass the superior maxillary division of the fifth nerve, the orbital branch of the same, fibers from Meckel's ganglion, and the infraorbital vessels.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.