View source for Inferior orbital fissure

{{Short description|Gap between bones of the human eye socket}}
{{hatnote|Not to be confused with the [[infraorbital groove]], [[infraorbital canal]], and [[infraorbital foramen]].}}
{{Infobox anatomy
| Name        = Inferior orbital fissure
| Latin       = fissura  orbitalis inferior
| Image       = Fissuraorbitalisinferior.PNG
| Caption     = The skull from the front. (Label for inferior orbital fissure is at center right.)
| Image2      = Orbita mensch.jpg
| Caption2    = 1 [[Anterior ethmoidal foramen|Foramen ethmoidale]], 2 [[Optic foramen|Canalis opticus]], 3 [[Fissura orbitalis superior]], 4 [[Fossa sacci lacrimalis]], 5 [[Infraorbital groove|Sulcus infraorbitalis]], 6 Fissura orbitalis inferior, 7 [[Infraorbital foramen|Foramen infraorbitale]]
| System      =
}}

The '''inferior orbital fissure''' is a gap between the [[Greater wing of sphenoid bone|greater wing]] of [[sphenoid bone]], and the [[maxilla]]. It connects the [[Orbit (anatomy)|orbit]] (anteriorly) with the [[infratemporal fossa]] and [[pterygopalatine fossa]] (posteriorly).'''<ref name=":0222">{{Cite book |last=Sinnatamby |first=Chummy S. |title=Last's Anatomy |vauthors= |publisher= |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7295-3752-0 |edition=12th |pages=}}</ref>{{Rp|page=397}}'''

== 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.'''<ref name=":0222" />{{Rp|page=397}}'''

=== Contents ===
The fissure gives passage to multiple structures, including:
* [[Infraorbital nerve]],'''<ref name=":0222" />{{Rp|page=402}}''' [[Infraorbital artery|artery]]'''<ref name=":0222" />{{Rp|page=364}}''' and [[Infraorbital vein|vein]]{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}
* [[Inferior ophthalmic vein]]'''<ref name=":0222" />{{Rp|page=364, 403}}'''
* [[Zygomatic nerve]]'''<ref name=":0222" />{{Rp|page=496}}'''
* Orbital branches of the [[pharyngeal nerve]]'''<ref name=":0222" />{{Rp|page=370}}'''
* Maxillary nerve

==Additional images==
<gallery>

 File:Gray189.png|Left infratemporal fossa.
 File:Gray191.png|Horizontal section of nasal and orbital cavities.
 File:Gray787.png|Dissection showing origins of right ocular muscles, and nerves entering by the superior orbital fissure.
 File:Slide2rome.JPG|Inferior orbital fissure.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Foramina of skull]]
*[[Superior orbital fissure]]

==References==
{{Gray's}}

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Inferior orbital fissure}}
* {{NormanAnatomy|lesson3}} ({{NormanAnatomyFig|orbitforamina}}) (#3)
* {{cite web|url=http://www.tk.de/rochelexikon/pics/s34256.000-1.html |title=Anatomy diagram: 34256.000-1 |work=Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator |publisher=Elsevier |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227145535/http://www.tk.de/rochelexikon/pics/s34256.000-1.html |archivedate=2012-12-27 |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.tk.de/rochelexikon/pics/s34257.000-1.html |title=Anatomy diagram: 34257.000-1 |work=Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator |publisher=Elsevier |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722052131/http://www.tk.de/rochelexikon/pics/s34257.000-1.html |archivedate=2012-07-22 |url-status=dead }}

{{Foramina of skull}}
{{Portal bar|Anatomy}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bones of the head and neck]]