Medicine:List of foramina of the human body

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This article lists foramina that occur in the human body.

Skull

Image of base of the skull with several of the foramina labeled

The human skull has numerous openings (foramina), through which cranial nerves, arteries, veins, and other structures pass. These foramina vary in size and number, with age.[1][2]

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[3]
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[3] 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[3]
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)[3]
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)[3]
occipital posterior cranial fossa condylar canal 1 occipital emissary vein, meningeal branch of occipital artery

  • Base of the skull, upper surface

  • Base of the skull, inferior surface, attachment of muscles marked in red

Spine

Within the vertebral column (spine) of vertebrates, including the human spine, each bone has an opening at both its top and bottom to allow nerves, arteries, veins, etc. to pass through.

Other

  • Apical foramen, the opening at the tip of the root of a tooth
  • Foramen ovale (heart), an opening between the venous and arterial sides of the fetal heart
  • Foramen transversarium, one of a pair of openings in each cervical vertebra, in which the vertebral artery travels
  • Greater sciatic foramen, a major foramen of the pelvis
  • Interventricular foramen, channels connecting ventricles in the brain
  • Intervertebral foramen, foramina formed between vertebrae
  • Lesser sciatic foramen, an opening between the pelvis and the posterior thigh
  • Obturator foramen, the opening created by the ischium and pubis bones of the pelvis
  • Vertebral foramen, the foramen formed by the anterior segment (the body), and the posterior part, the vertebral arch

References

  1. ↑ Kalmey JK1, ThewissenJG, Dluzen DE (July 1998). "Age-related size reduction of foramina in the cribriform plate". Anat. Rec. 251 (3): 326–9. doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-0185(199807)251:3<326::aid-ar7>3.3.co;2-#. PMID 9669759. 
  2. ↑ "The forgotten foramina: a study of the anterior cribriform plate". Surg Radiol Anat 37 (7): 835–40. Sep 2015. doi:10.1007/s00276-015-1471-2. PMID 25823692. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Chaurasia, BD (2013). BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy Volume 3. New Delhi: CBS Publishers and Distributors PVT Ltd. pp. 56–57. ISBN 9788123923321. 



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