title: Radiologic anatomy of the maxillary artery in the pterygopalatine area applied to Le Fort 1 osteotomies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Le Fort 1 osteotomies there is a risk of injuring the maxillary artery, during the pterygomaxillary (PM) disjunction. To improve the knowledge of the relation between the maxillary artery and the PM suture, an anatomic study of the pterygopalatal fossa has been performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on CT scan head with vascular injection of the supraaortic trunks in 92 patients. The vertical length of the PM junction and the position of maxillary artery in relation to PM junction have been measured on a parasagittal plane passing through the lateral surface of the PM junction, and on a plane where the PM suture is the highest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The height of the PM junction on the plane passing through the lateral surface of the PM junction was 6.86 ± 2.67 mm, and the maxillary artery was located 18.22 ± 3.79 mm from the most inferior point of the PM junction. The maximum PM junction height was 13.96 ± 3.03 mm, and at this place the maxillary artery was located 18.85 ± 3.26 mm from the most inferior point of the PM junction. The distance between these two planes was 5.14 ± 2.02 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our results, the height of the PM junction is less than 14 mm and during the PM disjunction there is a risk of injuring the maxillary artery 18 mm above the inferior extremity of the PM junction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculté de Médecine Paris-Diderot, URDIA (EA4465), Paris, France.
authors.forename: Rivka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bendrihem
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculté de Médecine Paris-Diderot, URDIA (EA4465), Paris, France. christian.vacher@aphp.fr.|Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, Hôpital Beaujon, APHP, 100 Boulevard Général Leclerc, 92110, Clichy, France. christian.vacher@aphp.fr.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vacher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007479:Iopamidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D008438:Maxillary Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000379:methods*; D010159:Palate; D056739:Pterygopalatine Fossa / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; C057937:iomeprol; D007479:Iopamidol
keywords: Le Fort; Maxilla; Maxillary artery; Osteotomy; Pterygomaxillary junction