| pararectal fossa | A peritoneal depression on either side of the rectum formed by peritoneal (sacrogenital) folds passing from the posterolateral pelvic wall to the central pelvic viscera. The fossa is a lateral extension of the male rectovesical pouch or the female rectouterine pouch. Synonym: pararectal pouch. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| vermian fossa | A small depression near the lower part of the internal occipital crest which lodges part of the inferior vermis of the cerebellum. (05 Mar 2000) |
| paravesical fossa | A peritoneal depression formed by the reflection of the peritoneum from the lateral pelvic wall onto the roof of the bladder; in the female, it is the lateral portion of the uterovesical pouch, separated from the pararectal pouch by the broad ligament. Synonym: fossa paravesicalis, paracystic pouch, paravesical pouch. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Gerdy's hyoid fossa | A space bounded by the superior belly of the omohyoid muscle, anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid, and posterior belly of the digastric; it contains the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. Synonym: trigonum caroticum, fossa carotica, Gerdy's hyoid fossa, Malgaigne's fossa, Malgaigne's triangle, superior carotid triangle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mastoid fossa | A small depression on the mastoid part of the temporal bone, posterior to the suprameatal spine. Synonym: foveola suprameatica, mastoid fossa, fossa mastoidea, supramastoid fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| vestibular fossa | The portion of the vestibule of the vagina between the frenulum of the labia minora and the posterior labial commissure of the vulva. Synonym: fossa vestibuli vaginae, fossa navicularis vestibulae vaginae, vestibular fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| glenoid fossa | The hollow in the head of the scapula that receives the head of the humerus to make the shoulder joint. Synonym: mandibular fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| patellar fossa of vitreous | A depression on the anterior surface of the vitreous body in which lies the lens. Synonym: fossa hyaloidea, lenticular fossa, patellar fossa of vitreous. (05 Mar 2000) |
| medial inguinal fossa | A depression on the peritoneal surface of the anterior abdominal wall between the ridges formed by the inferior epigastric artery and the medial umbilical ligament; it corresponds to the position of the superficial inguinal ring and is the site of a direct inguinal hernia. Synonym: fossa inguinalis medialis, fovea inguinalis interna. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cerebellar fossa | The large concave impressions on the inner surface of the occipital bone on either side of the foramen magnum and internal occipital crest, housing the cerebellar hemispheres; a part of the posterior cranial fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| retroduodenal fossa | A peritoneal recess occasionally found behind the third part of the duodenum, between it and the aorta. Synonym: recessus retroduodenalis, infraduodenal fossa, retroduodenal fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| retromandibular fossa | The depression inferior to the auricle and posterior to the ramus and angle of the mandible. Synonym: fossa retromandibularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| retromolar fossa | A triangular depression in the mandible posterior to the third molar tooth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Merkel's fossa | A groove in the posterolateral wall of the vestibule of the larynx between the corniculate and cuneiform cartilages. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mesentericoparietal fossa | A peritoneal fossa that has been seen in a few cases in which the jejunum has no mesentery but is attached to the posterior parietal peritoneum; the fossa begins at the point where the mesentery ends, and is seen on raising up the knuckle of free intestine. Synonym: Broesike's fossa, fossa parajejunalis, mesentericoparietal fossa, mesentericoparietal recess. (05 Mar 2000) |