SENEM ERDOĞMUŞ, YELDA PINAR, SERVET ÇELIK
Neuroanatomy - 2009;8(1):43-45
The ossification of pterygospinous ligament forms the pterygospinous bony bridge and pterygospinous foramen. In existence of bony bridge, some branches of the mandibular nerve may run through the pterygospinous foramen. In this case, the entrapment of the nerve may occur. During routine dissection of a male cadaver that had been fixed with 10% formaldehyde solution, unusual course of the lingual nerve was encountered. The pterygospinous bony bridge passed among the fibers of the lingual nerve and it divided it into two parts as anterior and posterior. The anterior fibers lied between tensor veli palatini and medial pterygoid muscles, and the bony bridge, vulnerable to the risk of compression. The ossified pterygospinous ligament may cause mandibular neuralgia. Besides, it can act as an obstacle for the mandibular nerve block.
