Bone
|
Cranial fossa
|
Foramina
|
Number
|
Vessels
|
Nerves
|
frontal |
- |
supraorbital foramen |
2 |
supraorbital artery supraorbital vein |
supraorbital nerve
|
frontal |
anterior cranial fossa |
foramen cecum |
1 |
emissary veins to superior sagittal sinus from the upper part of the nose |
|
ethmoid |
anterior cranial fossa (osama) |
foramina of cribriform plate |
~20 |
- |
olfactory nerve bundles (I)
|
ethmoid |
anterior cranial fossa |
anterior ethmoidal foramen |
2 |
anterior ethmoidal artery anterior ethmoidal vein |
anterior ethmoidal nerve
|
ethmoid |
anterior cranial fossa |
posterior ethmoidal foramen |
2 |
posterior ethmoidal artery posterior ethmoidal vein |
posterior ethmoidal nerve
|
sphenoid |
- |
optic canal |
2 |
ophthalmic artery |
optic nerve (II)
|
sphenoid |
middle cranial fossa |
superior orbital fissure |
2 |
superior ophthalmic vein |
oculomotor nerve (III) trochlear nerve (IV) lacrimal, frontal and nasociliary branches of ophthalmic nerve (V1) abducent nerve (VI)
|
sphenoid |
middle cranial fossa |
foramen rotundum |
2 |
- |
maxillary nerve (V2)
|
maxilla |
- |
incisive foramen/canal/Stenson/Scarpa |
4 |
terminal branch of descending palatine artery |
Terminal part of nasopalatine nerve (V2)
|
palatine |
- |
greater palatine foramen |
2 |
greater palatine artery greater palatine vein |
greater palatine nerve
|
palatine and sphenoid |
- |
foramen sphenopalatinum |
2 |
sphenopalatine artery sphenopalatine vein |
nasopalatine nerve rami nasales posteriores superiores (V2)
|
palatine and maxilla |
- |
lesser palatine foramina |
4 |
lesser palatine arteries lesser palatine vein |
lesser palatine nerve, greater palatine nerve
|
sphenoid and maxilla |
- |
inferior orbital fissure |
2 |
inferior ophthalmic veins infraorbital artery infraorbital vein, tributary of pterygoid plexus |
zygomatic nerve and infraorbital nerve of maxillary nerve (V2) orbital branches of pterygopalatine ganglion
|
maxilla |
- |
infraorbital foramen |
2 |
infraorbital artery infraorbital vein, tributary of pterygoid plexus |
infraorbital nerve
|
sphenoid |
middle cranial fossa |
foramen ovale |
2 |
accessory meningeal artery, emissary vein connecting cavernous sinus with pterygoid plexus |
mandibular nerve (V3) lesser petrosal nerve (occasionally)
|
sphenoid |
middle cranial fossa |
foramen spinosum |
2 |
middle meningeal artery |
meningeal branch of the mandibular nerve (V3)
|
sphenoid |
middle cranial fossa |
foramen lacerum |
2 |
artery of pterygoid canal, Meningeal branch of ascending pharyngeal artery, emissary vein |
nerve of pterygoid canal through its anterior wall
|
temporal |
middle cranial fossa |
carotid canal |
2 |
internal carotid artery |
internal carotid plexus, sympathetics from the superior cervical ganglion
|
temporal |
posterior cranial fossa |
internal acoustic meatus |
2 |
labyrinthine artery |
facial nerve (VII), vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)
|
temporal |
posterior cranial fossa |
jugular foramen |
2 |
internal jugular vein, inferior petrosal sinus, sigmoid sinus |
glossopharyngeal nerve (IX), vagus nerve (X), accessory nerve (XI)
|
temporal |
posterior cranial fossa |
stylomastoid foramen |
2 |
stylomastoid artery |
facial nerve (VII)
|
occipital |
posterior cranial fossa |
hypoglossal canal |
2 |
- |
hypoglossal nerve (XII)
|
occipital |
posterior cranial fossa |
foramen magnum |
1 |
anterior and posterior spinal arteries, vertebral arteries |
lowest part of medulla oblongata, three meninges, ascending spinal fibers of accessory nerve (XI)
|
occipital |
posterior cranial fossa |
condylar canal |
1 |
occipital emissary vein, meningeal branch of occipital artery |
|