Distribution of pterygopalatine ganglion efferents to the lacrimal gland in man

Abstract

To trace the path taken by the putative postganglionic secretomotor fibres to the lacrimal gland the contents of the orbital and pterygopalatine fossa were removed whole, cut coronally into slabs and embedded in resin. Thin sections were cut at varying intervals to reconstruct the pathway taken. One group of rami orbitales issuing from the pterygopalatine ganglion passed dorsally adjacent to the lateral wall of the orbit, joined the retro-orbital plexus at the apex, and 5–10 rami lacrimales advanced from the plexus to enter the gland. An accessory ophthalmic artery, a branch of the middle meningeal artery, entered the orbit through the superior fissure orbital joining the ophthalmic or lacrimal artery. Perivascular nerves of the artery continued to the gland as supplementary rami lacrimales and in some orbits others served the vasculature of the eye and orbit. The nerves are presumably derived from the middle meningeal supply and may include otic parasympathetic fibres. The route taken by parasympathetic nerves serving the human lacrimal gland is demonstrated here for the first time and apart from the perivascular meningeal artery source, it is similar to that described in monkeys. The traditional assumption that secretomotor nerves pass to the gland via the zygomatic and lacrimal nerves is therefore unlikely and clinical measures to reduce lacrimation based on that assumption and involving severance of ophthalmic branches is not indicated.