What Is the Anatomy of the Pituitary Gland?

The pituitary fossa refers to the depression in the middle of the saddle, which houses the pituitary gland, called the pituitary fossa.

The pituitary fossa refers to the depression in the middle of the saddle, which houses the pituitary gland, called the pituitary fossa.

Chinese name

Pituitary fossa

Foreign name

Hypophysial fossa

Department

Anatomy

Pituitary fossa review

The inner surface of the sphenoid bone in the middle of the cranial fossa (cranial cavity). The central depression forms a pituitary fossa. In front of the litter is a slightly raised saddle nodule. Apart from horses and buffaloes behind the litter, there are thin bone pieces leaning forward, called saddle dorsal; the free ends are bifurcated to form a pair of posterior bed processes.

Anatomy of the pituitary fossa

Anterior cerebral a

2. Optic chiasma

Optic nerve Optic n.

4.Funnel Infundibulum

5. Pituitary Hypophysis

6.Oculomotor n.

7. Saddle Dorsum sellae

8. Hypophysial fossa

9. Sphenoidal sinus

10.Middle cerebral a.

11. Internal carotid a.

12. Posterior communicating artery

13. Posterior clinoid process

14. Ophthalmic n.

15.Cavenous sinus

16.Maxillary n.

Clinical application anatomy of pituitary fossa

The sphenoid sinus is located in the deep sphenoid bone of the skull base, one above the nasal cavity and one on the left and right. The shape and size of the sphenoid sinus on both sides of an adult are often asymmetric. The upper wall is a part of the middle cranial fossa. It is thin in bone and participates in the formation of a saddle. The inner pituitary gland and the optic crisscross groove are formed at the front to accommodate the optic crisscross. The lower wall is the upper edge of the posterior foramen and the top of the nasopharynx; the inner wall is Bony sphenoid sinus septum, often biased to one side; the outer wall is part of the middle cranial fossa, and is closely related to the cavernous sinus, internal carotid arteries, ophthalmic arteries, and II, III, IV, , to the brain nerve; Thicker, adjacent to the pons and basal artery in the posterior cranial fossa.

The ethmoid sinus is a honeycomb air chamber structure, located inside the ethmoid above the nasal cavity, between the upper part of the outer wall of the nasal cavity and the orbit, before the sphenoid sinus, and below the anterior cranial fossa. The ethmoid sinus that opens in the middle nasal passage is the anterior ethmoid sinus, and the ethmoid sinus opens in the upper nasal passage.

Most of the transsphenoidal and sieving operations are performed through the nasal cavity, so the relevant nasal structure must be understood.

Because the adjacency of the above structure is not constant, the operation of the sphenoid sinus area is difficult. Optic nerve decompression through the ethmoid sinus and sphenoid sinus, and pituitary tumor surgery through the nasal septum, sphenoid sinus, etc., should prevent injury to the cavernous sinus, internal carotid artery and other structures.

Nasal septum

Sphenoidal sinus

Nasal septum

3. Eustachian tube round pillow Tubal torus

4. Uvula

5. Frontal sinus

6. Pharyngeal opening of auditory tube

Structures on the lateral wall of nasal cavity (Middle nasal concha has been removed)

Opening of sphenoidal sinus

2. Attached margin of middle nasal concha

3. Inferior nasal concha

4. Ethmoidal sinus

5. Opening of frontal sinus

6. Semilunar hiatus

Structures on the lateral wall of nasal cavity

Sphenoidal sinus

2. Eustachian tube round pillow Tubal torus

3. Pharyngeal opening of auditory tube

4. Frontal sinus

5. Ethmoidal sinus

6. Inferior nasal concha

Sphenoidalsinus (Median sagittal view)

Internal carotid artery

Opticchiasma

3. Sphenoidal sinus

4. Funnel Infundibulum

5. Basilar artery

6. Hypophysis

Internal carotid artery and sphenoidal sinus

Sphenoidal sinus

Internal carotid artery

3. Posterior nasal aperture

4. Saddle Dorsum sellae

5. Carotid canal