Foramina of the skull 4286343 218264559 2008-06-09T21:43:36Z Arcadian 104523 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/131.111.236.124|131.111.236.124]] ([[User talk:131.111.236.124|talk]]) to last version by 62.31.207.92 The following is a list of holes, or [[foramen|foramina]], in the base of the [[skull]] and what goes through each of them. Arranged from anterior to posterior: ==List of foramina== {| class="wikitable" class="sortable wikitable" | '''bone''' || '''location''' || [[Image:Gray187.png|70px]] '''foramen''' || [[Image:Gray516.png|90px]] '''vessels''' || [[Image:Gray724.png|100px]] '''nerves''' |- | [[frontal bone|frontal]] || - || [[supraorbital foramen]] || [[supraorbital artery]], [[supraorbital vein]] || [[supraorbital nerve]] |- | [[frontal bone|frontal]] || [[anterior cranial fossa]] || [[foramen cecum (frontal bone)|foramen cecum]] || [[emissary veins]] to [[superior sagittal sinus]] || - |- | [[ethmoid bone|ethmoid]] || - || [[foramina of cribriform plate]] || - || [[olfactory nerve]] bundles (I) |- | [[ethmoid bone|ethmoid]] || [[anterior cranial fossa]] || [[anterior ethmoidal foramen]] || [[anterior ethmoidal artery]]<BR>[[anterior ethmoidal vein]] || [[anterior ethmoidal nerve]] |- | [[ethmoid bone|ethmoid]] || [[anterior cranial fossa]] || [[posterior ethmoidal foramen]] || [[posterior ethmoidal artery]]<BR>[[posterior ethmoidal vein]] || [[posterior ethmoidal nerve]] |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] || - || [[optic canal]] || [[ophthalmic artery]] || [[optic nerve]] (II) |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] || [[middle cranial fossa]] || [[superior orbital fissure]] || [[superior ophthalmic vein]]<BR>[[inferior ophthalmic vein]] || [[oculomotor nerve]] (III)<BR> [[trochlear nerve]] (IV)<BR>[[lacrimal]], [[frontal]] and [[nasociliary]] branches of [[ophthalmic nerve]] (V<sub>1</sub>)<BR>[[abducent nerve]] (VI) |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] || [[middle cranial fossa]] || [[foramen rotundum]] || - || [[maxillary nerve]] (V<sub>2</sub>) |- | [[maxilla]] || - || [[incisive foramen]]/[[incisive canals]] || - || [[nasopalatine nerve]] |- | [[palatine bone|palatine]] || - || [[greater palatine foramen]] || - || [[greater palatine nerve]] |- | [[palatine bone|palatine]] and [[maxilla]]|| - || [[lesser palatine foramina]] || - || [[lesser palatine nerve]] |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] and [[maxilla]] || - || [[inferior orbital fissure]] || [[Inferior_ophthalmic_vein|inferior ophthalmic veins]]<BR> [[infraorbital artery]]<BR>[[infraorbital vein]] || [[zygomatic nerve]] and [[infraorbital nerve]] of [[maxillary nerve]] (V<sub>2</sub>)<BR> orbital branches of [[pterygopalatine ganglion]] |- | [[maxilla]] || - || [[infraorbital foramen]] || [[infraorbital artery]]<BR>[[infraorbital vein]] || [[infraorbital nerve]] || |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] || [[middle cranial fossa]] || [[foramen ovale (skull)|foramen ovale]] || [[accessory meningeal artery]] || [[mandibular nerve]] (V<sub>3</sub>) <BR>[[lesser petrosal nerve]] (occasionally) |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] || [[middle cranial fossa]] || [[foramen spinosum]] || [[middle meningeal artery]] || [[meningeal branch of the mandibular nerve]] |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] || - || [[pterygoid canal]] || [[artery of the pterygoid canal]] || [[nerve of pterygoid canal]] |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] and [[palatine bone|palatine]] || - || [[sphenopalatine foramen]] || [[sphenopalatine artery]] || - |- | [[sphenoid bone|sphenoid]], [[temporal bone|temporal]], and [[occipital bone|occipital]] || [[middle cranial fossa]] || [[foramen lacerum]] <BR>(or [[carotid canal]]) || [[internal carotid artery]] || [[internal carotid nerve plexus]] |- | [[temporal bone|temporal]] || [[posterior cranial fossa]] || [[internal acoustic meatus]] || [[labyrinthine artery]] || [[facial nerve]] (VII) <BR>[[vestibulocochlear nerve]] (VIII) |- | [[temporal bone|temporal]] || - || [[stylomastoid foramen]] || [[stylomastoid artery]] || [[facial nerve]] |- | [[temporal bone|temporal]] || - || [[mastoid foramen]] || [[emissary vein]] || - |- | [[temporal bone|temporal]] || - || [[petrotympanic fissure]] || - || [[chorda tympani]] |- | [[occipital bone|occipital]] and [[temporal bone|temporal]] || [[posterior cranial fossa]] || [[jugular foramen]] || [[posterior meningeal artery]]<BR>[[ascending pharyngeal artery]]<BR>[[inferior petrosal sinus]]<BR>[[sigmoid sinus]]<BR>[[internal jugular vein]] || [[glossopharyngeal nerve]] (IX)<BR>[[vagus nerve]] (X)<BR>[[accessory nerve]] (XI) |- | [[occipital bone|occipital]] || - || [[hypoglossal canal]] || - || [[hypoglossal nerve]] (XII) |- | [[occipital bone|occipital]] || - || [[condylar canal]] || [[occipital emissary vein]] || - |- | [[occipital bone|occipital]] || [[posterior cranial fossa]] || [[foramen magnum]] || [[vertebral artery|vertebral arteries]]<BR>[[Meningeal_branches_of_vertebral_artery|meningeal branches]] of [[vertebral artery|vertebral arteries]] || [[medulla oblongata]]<BR>[[Accessory_nerve|spinal roots]] of [[accessory nerves]] |- | [[parietal bone|parietal]] || - || [[parietal foramen]] || [[emissary vein]] || - |- | [[mandible]] || - || [[mental foramen]] || [[mental artery]]<BR>[[mental vein]] || [[mental nerve]] |- | [[mandible]] || - || [[mandibular foramen]] || [[inferior alveolar artery]]<BR>[[inferior alveolar vein]] || [[inferior alveolar nerve]] |- | [[zygomatic bone|zygomatic]] || - || [[zygomaticofacial foramen]] || - || [[zygomaticofacial nerve]] |- | [[zygomatic bone|zygomatic]] || - || [[zygomaticotemporal foramen]] || - || [[zygomaticotemporal nerve]] |} ==Base of skull== ===Upper surface=== [[Image:Gray193.png]] ===Inferior surface=== [[Image:Gray187.png]] ==External links== * [http://musom.marshall.edu/anatomy/grosshom/z_foramina.html Overview at Marshall] * [http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu/class/bio201/cn/foramn1.htm Tutorial/Quiz] * [http://www.uwo.ca/cns/resident/pocketbook/pictures/skullbase.jpg Photo] * [http://tmjc.com.ne.kr/tmj/info/drinfo/images/tm6-7.jpg Diagram] {{Foramina of skull}} [[Category:Foramina of the skull|*]]