Foramina in the Skull

• Include the following, which are presented here with the structures that pass through them:

• Cribriform plate : olfactory nerves.
• Foramen cecum : occasional small emissary vein from nasal mucosa to superior sagittal sinus.
• Anterior and posterior ethmoidal foramina : anterior and posterior ethmoidal nerves, arteries, and veins.

• Optic canal : optic nerve, ophthalmic artery, and central artery and vein of the retina.
• Superior orbital fissure : oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves; ophthalmic division of trigeminal nerve; and ophthalmic veins.
• Foramen rotundum : maxillary division of trigeminal nerve.
• Foramen ovale : mandibular division of trigeminal nerve, accessory meningeal artery, and occasionally lesser petrosal nerve.
• Foramen spinosum : middle meningeal artery.
• Foramen lacerum : nothing passes through this foramen, but the upper part is traversed by the internal carotid artery and greater and deep petrosal nerves en route to the pterygoid canal.
• Carotid canal : internal carotid artery and sympathetic nerves (carotid plexus).
• Hiatus of facial canal : greater petrosal nerve.

• Internal auditory meatus : facial and vestibulocochlear nerves and labyrinthine artery.
• Jugular foramen : glossopharyngeal, vagus, and spinal accessory nerves and beginning of internal jugular vein.
• Hypoglossal canal : hypoglossal nerve and meningeal artery.
• Foramen magnum : spinal cord, spinal accessory nerve, vertebral arteries, venous plexus of vertebral canal, and anterior and posterior spinal arteries.
• Condyloid foramen : condyloid emissary vein.
• Mastoid foramen : branch of occipital artery to dura mater and mastoid emissary vein.

• Zygomaticofacial foramen : zygomaticofacial nerve.
• Supraorbital notch or foramen : supraorbital nerve and vessels.
• Infraorbital foramen : infraorbital nerve and vessels.
• Mental foramen : mental nerve and vessels.

• Petrotympanic fissure : chorda tympani and often anterior tympanic artery.
• Stylomastoid foramen : facial nerve.
• Incisive canal : nasopalatine nerve and terminal part of the sphenopalatine or greater palatine vessels.
• Greater palatine foramen : greater palatine nerve and vessels.
• Lesser palatine foramen : lesser palatine nerve and vessels.
• Palatine canal : descending palatine vessels and the greater and lesser palatine nerves.
• Pterygoid canal : runs from the anterior wall of the foramen lacerum to the pterygopalatine fossa and transmits the nerve of the pterygoid canal (vidian nerve).
• Sphenopalatine foramen : sphenopalatine vessels and nasopalatine nerve.