Foramina of the Skull and Structures Transmitted

Question 1

Cribiform plate

Answer 1

CNI (olfactory) nerve fibers

Question 2

Foramen cecum

Answer 2

Emissary vein from nasal cavity to superior sagittal sinus

Question 3

Anterior ethmoidal foramen

Answer 3

anterior ethmoidal nerve, artery and vein

Question 4

Posterior ethmoidal foramen

Answer 4

posterior ethmoidal nerve, artery, and vein

Question 5

Sphenopalatine foramen

Answer 5

Sphenopalatine artery and vein
(posterior lateral nasal branches and posterior septal branches)
Nasopalatine nerve (from V2)
Posterior lateral nasal nerves (from V2)

Question 6

Optic canal

Answer 6

CNII
Opthalmic artery
Symp. fibers from internal carotid plexus

Question 7

Superior Orbital Fissure

Answer 7

CN III (occulomotor
CN IV (trochlear)
CNV1 (Maxillary of Trigeminal)
CNVI (abducens)
Superior opthalmic vein
Larimal artery
Symp fibers from internal carotid plexus

Question 8

Inferior Orbital fissure

Answer 8

Infraorbital nerve (from V2)
Infraorbital artery and vein
Zygomatic nerve (from V2)
—>Zygomaticotemporal nerve, artery and vein
—>Zygomaticofacial nerve, artery and vein

Question 9

Supraorbital foramen or notch

Answer 9

Supraorbital artery, nerve and vein

Question 10

Infraorbital foramen of notch

Answer 10

Infraorbital nerve, artery and vein

Question 11

Zygomaticotemporal foramen

Answer 11

Zygomaticotemporal nerve (from V2) emerges from here onto temple

Question 12

Zygomaticofacial foramen

Answer 12

Zygomaticofacial nerve (from V2) emerges from here onto the face

Question 13

Alveolar canal

Answer 13

Posterior Superior Alveolar nerve (from V2)

Posterior Superior alveolar artery and vein

Question 14

Foramen Rotundum

Answer 14

CNV2 (Maxillary)

Question 15

Foramen Ovale

Answer 15

CNV3 (Mandibular)

Acessory meningeal artery

Question 16

Internal Acoustic Meatus

Answer 16

CNVII (facial)
CNVIII (vestibulocochlear)
Labryinthine (internal auditory) artery

Question 17

External Acoustic Meatus

Answer 17

Tympanic membrane (blocks entrance to middle ear cavity)

Question 18

Groove for pharyngotympanic (auditory) tube

Answer 18

Cartilaginous portion of auditory (eustachian) tube (post/med to foramen ovale)

Question 19

Stylomastoid foramen

Answer 19

CVII (facial nerve)

Question 20

Facial canal (opens into stylomastoid foramen)

Answer 20

CNVII (facial nerve)

Question 21

Petrotympanic fissure

Answer 21

chorda tympani nerve (from CNVII)

anterior tympanic artery and v.

Question 22

Hiatus for greater petrosal n.

Answer 22

Greater petrosal (from CNVII)

Question 23

Hiatus for lesser petrosal n.

Answer 23

Lesser petrosal n. (from CNIX)

Question 24

Jugular foramen

Answer 24

CNIX
CNX
CNXI
IJV

Question 25

Hypoglossal canal

Answer 25

CNXII

Question 26

Carotid canal

Answer 26

- ICA | - Sympathetic carotid plexus of nerves from internal carotid nerve

Question 27

Foramen lacerum

Answer 27

- fibrocartilage | - ICA runs above it to enter cranial vault

Question 28

Pterygomaxillary fissure

Answer 28

terminal branches of maxillary a. and v.

Question 29

Pterygopalatine fossa

Answer 29

pterygopalatine ganglion CNV2 (maxillary) Branches of max. a. and v.

Question 30

Pterygoid canal

Answer 30

- Nerve of pterygoid canal (vidian) formed by deep and greater petrosal - pterygoid branch of max a.

Question 31

Pharyngeal canal

Answer 31

- pharyngeal n. (from CNV2) | - Pharyngeal brs. of maxillary a. and v.

Question 32

Palatine canal

Answer 32

``` -Greater palatine (from V2) Lesser palatine (from V2) Descending palatine a. and v. -->greater palatine a. and v. -->lesser palatine a. and v. ```

Question 33

Greater palatine foramen

Answer 33

Greater palatine nerve, a. and v. | Lesser palatine a. and v.

Question 34

Lesser palatine foramen

Answer 34

lesser palatine nerve

Question 35

Incisive foramen

Answer 35

Nasopalatine nerve Brs. of sphenopalatine a. and v. Brs. of greater palatine a. and v. (anastomose w. sphenopalatine br.)

Question 36

Foramen spinosum

Answer 36

middle meningeal a. | meningeal branch of V3

Question 37

Foramen magnum

Answer 37

Spinal cord and meninges Ascending rootlets of CNXI Vertebral aa. Ant and Post spinal aa.

Question 38

Condyloid canal

Answer 38

Emissary v, from superficial vv. of skull to sigmoid sinus

Question 39

Mandibular foramen

Answer 39

IAN (from V3), a. and v.

Question 40

Mental foramen

Answer 40

Mental nerve from V3