| fossa of helix | 1. The longitudinal furrow between the helix and the antihelix of the auricle. Synonym: fossa of helix, scaphoid fossa. 2. Obsolete term for scaphoid fossa. Origin: L. Fr. G. Skaphe, skiff (05 Mar 2000) |
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| fossa of lacrimal gland | A hollow in the orbital plate of the frontal bone, formed by the overhanging margin and zygomatic process, lodging the lacrimal gland. Synonym: fossa glandulae lacrimalis, fossa of lacrimal gland. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa of lacrimal sac | 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 of lateral malleolus | A large rough depression on the medial aspect of the lower end of the fibula just behind the articular facet for the talus giving attachment to the posterior talofibular and the transverse tibiofibular ligaments. Synonym: fossa malleoli lateralis, digital fossa, fossa malleoli fibulae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fossa of Sylvius | The deep depression of the basal surface of the forebrain that corresponds in position to the anterior perforated substance. Bounded medially by the optic tract and rostrally by the orbital surface of the frontal lobe, it extends laterally around the overhanging pole of the temporal lobe into the Sylvian fissure (sulcus lateralis). Synonym: fossa lateralis cerebri, fossa of Sylvius, lateral fossa of brain, vallecula sylvii. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 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) |