Foramina in the Skull

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

A) Anterior cranial fossa

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.

B) Middle cranial fossa

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.

C) Posterior cranial fossa

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.

D) Foramina in the front of the skull

E) Foramina in the base of the skull

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.

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