Table 2 Foramina of the Skull and Their Contents

By Dr. Noura Osman., 29-11-2009

Location on Bone Contents On superior aspect near Emissary vein to superior the sagittal suture sagittal sinus, sometimes a branch of the occipital artery Pharyngeal Sphenoid and Between the vaginal Pharyngeal nerve, canal palatine process of the sphenoid pharyngeal artery and the sphenoid process of the palatine Posterior Medial wall of orbit Frontal and Fronto-ethmoidal suture, Posterior ethmoidal nerve ethmoidal ethmoidal posterior to the anterior and vessels (when present) ethmoidal foramen Posterosuperior Anterior to the Maxilla Infratemporal surface Posterosuperior alveolar alveolar pterygomaxillary fissure and maxillary tuberosity nerves and vessels Pterygoid canal Extends from foramen Sphenoid Body of sphenoid just Nerve and vessels of the (vidian canal) lacerum to pterygopalatine above the pterygoid pterygoid canal (vidian nerve fossa processes and vessel) Rotundum Middle cranial fossa Sphenoid Greater wing Maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve Sphenopalatine Medial wall of Sphenoid and Between sphenoidal and Sphenopalatine artery and pterygopalatine fossa palatine orbital processes posterior superior nasal brs. (nasopalatine) nerves Spinosum Middle cranial fossa Sphenoid Spine of the sphenoid Middle meningeal vessels and recurrent meningeal branch of mandibular division of cranial nerve V Stylomastoid Between styloid and Temporal Posterior to the base of Facial nerve, stylomastoid mastoid processes the styloid process vessels Superior orbital Postero superior aspect of Sphenoid and Between roof and lateral Cranial nerves III, IV, VI, fissure orbit frontal wall, lateral to apex ophthalmic division of V; sympathetic fibers; branches of middle meningeal artery; recurrent branch of lacrimal artery; superior ophthalmic vein Supraorbital Superior rim of orbit Frontal Below superciliary arch Supraorbital nerve and vessels Zygomaticofaci Lateral to the inferolateral Zygoma Malar surface, above the Zygomaticofacial nerve and al angle of the orbital rim origin of zygomaticus vessels major muscle ZygomaticoAnterior floor of orbit Zygoma Orbital surface Zygomaticofacial and orbital zygomaticotemporal nerves and vessels Zygomaticotem Temporal fossa Zygoma Temporal surface Zygomaticotemporal nerve poral and vessels

Foramen Parietal

Location on Skull Anterior to lambda on either side of sagittal suture External base of skull; medial to medial pterygoid plate

Bone(s) Parietal