A 45-year-old man develops a dry eye on the right side following surgery involving the pterygopalatine fossa. Which nerve was most likely injured?

• A Zygomatic branch of the facial nerve
• B Nasociliary nerve
• C Infraorbital nerve
• D Greater petrosal nerve (branch of facial nerve via pterygopalatine ganglion) ✓

Explanation

Parasympathetic secretomotor fibers to the lacrimal gland travel in the greater petrosal nerve (a branch of the facial nerve via the pterygopalatine ganglion). These fibers synapse in the pterygopalatine ganglion and then travel with the zygomatic branch of the facial nerve to reach the lacrimal gland. Injury here causes decreased lacrimation. The zygomatic branch carries the postganglionic fibers but the origin is the greater petrosal nerve.

Reference: Gray's Anatomy, 42nd ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.