Inferior orbital fissure

Not to be confused with the infraorbital groove, infraorbital canal, and infraorbital foramen.

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

Inferior orbital fissure
The skull from the front. (Label for inferior orbital fissure is at center right.)
1 Foramen ethmoidale, 2 Canalis opticus, 3 Fissura orbitalis superior, 4 Fossa sacci lacrimalis, 5 Sulcus infraorbitalis, 6 Fissura orbitalis inferior, 7 Foramen infraorbitale
Details
Identifiers
Latin	fissura orbitalis inferior
TA98	A02.1.00.084
TA2	489
FMA	54802
Anatomical terminology [edit on Wikidata]

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