Hiatus of maxilla
Hiatus maxillae
- Latin synonym: Hiatus maxillaris osseus
- Synonym: Bony maxillary hiatus
- Related terms: Maxillary hiatus
Definition
The hiatus of maxilla (a.k.a. ostium maxillare, maxillary sinus ostium) is the entry point to the maxillary sinus, located on the nasal side of the maxillary bone, below the bulla ethmoidalis, and partially obscured by the bottom of the uncinate process. It allows the maxillary sinus to connect with the nose's middle meatus through two channels, one of which is typically sealed by mucous membrane, leaving a single functional maxillary hiatus for this purpose.
In an articulated skull, the size of the hiatus is minimized by neighboring bones: the uncinate process of the ethmoid and the descending part of the lacrimal bone from above, the ethmoidal process of the inferior nasal concha from below, and the perpendicular (or vertical) part of the palatine bone from behind.
References
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Standring, S. (2016). ‘Chapter 30: Face and scalp’ in Gray’s anatomy: the anatomical basis of clinical practice. (41st ed.) New York NY: Elsevier, pp. 484-486.
