| fossa of vestibule of vagina | 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) |
|---|---|
| fossa olecrani | A hollow on the dorsum of the distal end of the humerus, just above the trochlea, in which the olecranon process of the ulna rests when the elbow is extended. Synonym: fossa olecrani, anconal fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa ovalis | An oval depression on the lower part of the septum of the right atrium; it is a vestige of the foramen ovale, and its floor corresponds to the septum primum of the foetal heart. Synonym: saphenous opening. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa ovarica | A depression in the parietal peritoneum of the pelvis; it is bounded in front by the obliterated umbilical artery, and behind by the ureter and the uterine vessels; it lodges the ovary. Synonym: fossa ovarica, Claudius' fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa parajejunalis | 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) |
| fossa paravesicalis | 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) |
| fossa poplitea | The diamond-shaped space posterior to the knee joint bounded superficially by the diverging biceps femoris and semimembranosus muscles above and inferiorly by the two heads of the gastrocnemius muscle; deeply, the fossa is bound superiorly by the diverging supracondylar lines of the femur and the soleal line of the tibia inferiorly. Contents: tibial nerve, popliteal artery, vein, fat. Synonym: fossa poplitea, poples, ham, popliteal region, popliteal space, popliteus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa provesicalis | hartmann's pouch |
| fossa pterygoidea | The fossa formed by the divergence posteriorly of the plates of the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone; it lodges the origin of medial pterygoid and the tensor palati muscles. Synonym: fossa pterygoidea. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa pterygopalatina | Sphenomaxillary fossa, a small pyramidal space, housing the pterygopalatine ganglion, between the pterygoid process, the maxilla, and the palatine bone. Synonym: fossa pterygopalatina, Bichat's fossa, pterygomaxillary fossa, sphenomaxillary fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa retromandibularis | The depression inferior to the auricle and posterior to the ramus and angle of the mandible. Synonym: fossa retromandibularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa rhomboidea | The floor of the fourth ventricle of the brain, formed by the ventricular surface of the rhombencephalon. Synonym: fossa rhomboidea. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa sacci lacrimalis | A fossa formed by the lacrimal bone and the frontal process of the maxilla, lodging the lacrimal sac. Synonym: fossa sacci lacrimalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa scaphoidea ossis sphenoidalis | A boat-shaped hollow. A longitudinal hollow on the posterior surface of the superior portion (root) of the medial pterygoid plate; it gives origin to the tensor veli palati muscle. Synonym: fossa scaphoidea ossis sphenoidalis, Cruveilhier's fossa, fossa navicularis Cruveilhier, scaphoid fossa of sphenoid bone. Synonym: scapha. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa scarpae major | A triangular space at the upper part of the thigh, bounded by the sartorius and adductor longus muscles and the inguinal ligament, with a floor formed laterally by the iliopsoas muscle and medially by the pectineus muscle; the branches of the femoral nerve are distributed within the femoral triangle; it is bisected by the femoral vessels, which enter the adductor canal at its apex. Synonym: trigonum femorale, fossa scarpae major, Scarpa's triangle, subinguinal triangle. (05 Mar 2000) |