PurposeThe pterygopalatine fossa is one of the most complex anatomical regions to understand. It is poorly visualized in cadaveric dissection and most textbooks rely on schematic depictions. We describe our approach to creating a low-cost, 3D model of the pterygopalatine fossa, including its associated canals and foramina, using an affordable “desktop” 3D printer.MethodsWe used open source software to create a volume render of the pterygopalatine fossa from axial slices of a head computerised tomography scan. These data were then exported to a 3D printer to produce an anatomically accurate model.ResultsThe resulting ‘negative space’ model of the pterygopalatine fossa provides a useful and innovative aid for understanding the complex anatomical relationships of the pterygopalatine fossa.ConclusionThis model was designed primarily for medical students; however, it will also be of interest to postgraduates in ENT, ophthalmology, neurosurgery, and radiology. The technical process described may be replicated by other departments wishing to develop their own anatomical models whilst incurring minimal costs.

A 44-year-old woman presented with a slow-growing asymptomatic neck swelling at the left medial clavicle. Haematological and biochemical work up was normal and an ultrasound confirmed the swelling, but needle aspiration was non-diagnostic. As lymphoma was the main differential diagnosis, the swelling was completely excised. Immunohistochemistry yielded a rare lesion, suspected to represent a myoepithelial/mixed cellularity tumour of soft tissue. The extreme rarity of these tumours required a confirmatory secondary opinion, which ultimately led to it being identified as a benign anlage tumour (previously known as an ectopic hamartomatous thymoma) This case highlights the fact that thorough assessment of patients with neck swellings should be undertaken to rule out sinister causes-keeping in mind more rare differentials-helping to guide final management.