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

Table 2 Foramina of the Skull and Their Contents

Foramen Location on Skull Bone(s) Location on Bone ContentsParietal Anterior to lambda

on either side of sagittal suture

Parietal On superior aspect near the sagittal

suture

Emissary vein to superior sagittal sinus, sometimes a branch of the

occipital arteryPharyngeal canal External base of

skull; medial to medial pterygoid

plate

Sphenoid and

palatine

Between the vaginal process of the sphenoid and

the sphenoid process of the

palatine

Pharyngeal nerve, pharyngeal artery

Posterior ethmoidal Medial wall of orbit Frontal and

ethmoidal

Fronto-ethmoidal suture, posterior to

the anterior ethmoidal foramen

Posterior ethmoidal nerve and vessels (when present)

Posterosuperior alveolar

Anterior to the pterygomaxillary

fissure

Maxilla Infratemporal surface and maxillary tuberosity

Posterosuperior alveolar nerves and vessels

Pterygoid canal (vidian canal)

Extends from foramen lacerum to

pterygopalatine fossa

Sphenoid Body of sphenoid just above the

pterygoid processes

Nerve and vessels of the pterygoid canal (vidian nerve and

vessel)

Rotundum Middle cranial fossa Sphenoid Greater wing Maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve

Sphenopalatine Medial wall of pterygopalatine

fossa

Sphenoid and

palatine

Between sphenoidal and

orbital processes

Sphenopalatine artery and posterior superior nasal brs.

(nasopalatine) nervesSpinosum Middle cranial fossa Sphenoid Spine of the

sphenoidMiddle meningeal vessels and recurrent meningeal branch of mandibular division of cranial

nerve VStylomastoid Between styloid and

mastoid processesTemporal Posterior to the

base of the styloid process

Facial nerve, stylomastoid vessels

Superior orbital fissure

Postero superior aspect of orbit

Sphenoid and frontal

Between roof and lateral wall, lateral

to apex

Cranial nerves III, IV, VI, 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

Zygomaticofacial Lateral to the inferolateral angle of the orbital rim

Zygoma Malar surface, above the origin of zygomaticus major

muscle

Zygomaticofacial nerve and vessels

Zygomatico-orbital Anterior floor of orbit

Zygoma Orbital surface Zygomaticofacial and zygomaticotemporal nerves and

vesselsZygomaticotemporal Temporal fossa Zygoma Temporal surface Zygomaticotemporal nerve and

vessels