Foramina in skull

Foramen or canal Structures passing through
1. Carotid Canal
    Internal carotid artery and
    sympathetic plexus around artery

2. Foramen Lacerum
    Generally filled with cartilage
    no structure passes through it.
    Sometimes, Nerve of pterygoid
    canal(vidian nerve) passes.

3. Petrotympanic fissure
    Chorda tympani nerve
    Anterior ligament of malleus &
    Anterior tympanic branch of Maxillary
    artery.

4. Foramen magnum
     1. Anterior part-​ apical ligament of dens,
                                    vertical band of
                                    cruciate ligament,
                                    membrana tectoria.
     2. Posterior part-​ lower part of medulla,
                                     meninges.
     3. Through subarachnoid space-​ Spinal
                                                accessory nerve,
              anterior and posterior spinal artery,
                                    Vertebral arteries and
                 sympathetic plexus around artery.

5. Hypoglossal canal -
      Hypoglossal nerve,
      meningeal branch of hypoglossal nerve,
      meningeal branch of ascending
      pharyngeal artery &
      emissary vein

6. Stylomastoid foramen -
       Facial nerve,
       stylomastoid branch of posterior
       auricular artery

7. Mastoid canaliculus(Arnold’s canal)
        Auricular branch of vagus(Arnold’s
        nerve or Alderman’s nerve)

8. Tympanic canaliculus
        Tympanic branch of IXth
        (Jacobson’s nerve)

9. Incisive foramen
        Terminal part of greater palatine
        vessels and nasopalatine nerve

10. Greater palatine foramen
        Greater palatine vessel and
        anterior palatine nerve

11. Lesser palatine foramen
      Middle and posterior palatine nerves

12. Palatovaginal canal
      Pharyngeal branch of pterygopalatine
      ganglia & pharyngeal branch of
      maxillary artery

13. Vomerovaginal canal
      Generally closed,
      sometimes pharyngeal branch of
      pterygopalatine ganglia

14. Foramen of vesalius (emissary
       sphenoidal F)
       Emissary vein connecting cavernous
       sinus with pterygoid plexus of veins

15. Foramen caecum
      Generally closed,
      occasionally veins from nasal mucosa to
      superior sagittal sinus.
      Failure of closure causes Nasal dermoid
      and nasoethmoidal encephalocoele.

16. Foramen rotundum
      Maxillary nerve
17. Dorello’s canal
       Interdural space near petrous apex,
       petroclival venous confluence,
       filled with blood from sinuses.
18. Facial hiatus
      Greater petrosal nerve

19. Foramen ovale-
      MALE-
      mandibular nerve,
      accessory meningeal artery,
      lesser petrosal nerve &
     emissary vein connecting cavernous
     sinus with pterygoid venous plexus.

20. Foramen spinosum-
      Middle meningeal vessels and
      meningeal branch of mandibular nerve
      (nervous spinosus)

21. Jugular foramen- three parts by
       intrajugular process
      1. Anterior part-
          inferior petrosal sinus &
          meningeal branch of ascending
          pharyngeal artery
      2. Middle part-
          IX,X & XI th cranial Nerves
      3. Posterior part-
          Internal jugular vein & meningeal
          branch of occipital artery

22.  Internal acoustic meatus-
       VII & VIIIth nerve,
       nervus intermedius &
       labyrinthine vessels.



Thank you. .
Soon visit for further facts.

Questions and suggestions are always welcomed.
Dr. Rajesh Kumar
Resident
Department of Anatomy
AIIMS, New Delhi