Foramen lacerum

Template:Short description Template:Infobox anatomy The foramen lacerum (Template:Langx) is a triangular hole in the base of the skull. It is located between the sphenoid bone, the apex of the petrous part of the temporal bone, and the basilar part of the occipital bone.

Structure

The foramen lacerum (Template:Langx) is a triangular hole in the base of skull. It is located between 3 bones:

• sphenoid bone (forming the anterior border)<ref name="GRAYS2005">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp

• apex of petrous part of temporal bone (forming the posterolateral border)<ref name="GRAYS2005" />Template:Rp<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• basilar part of occipital bone (forming the posteromedial border)<ref name="GRAYS2005" />Template:Rp

It is the junction point of 3 sutures of the skull:

• petroclival (petrooccipital) suture<ref name="GRAYS2005" />Template:Rp<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>
• sphenopetrosal suture<ref name="GRAYS2005" />Template:Rp
• sphenooccipital suture<ref name=":0" />

Contents

Structures passing through the foramen lacerum include:

• greater petrosal nerve and deep petrosal nerve which merge within the foramen to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
• nerve of the pterygoid canalTemplate:Citation needed
• artery of the pterygoid canalTemplate:Citation needed
• recurrent artery of the foramen lacerum (supplies the internal carotid plexus)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• emissary veins (connecting extracranial pterygoid plexus with the intracranial cavernous sinus)<ref name=":0223">Template:Cite book</ref>
• one of the terminal branches of the ascending pharyngeal arteryTemplate:Citation needed

Relations

It is situated anteromedially to the carotid canal.<ref name="GRAYS2005" />Template:Rp

The internal carotid artery passes from the carotid canal in the base of the skull, emerging and coursing superior to foramen lacerum as it exits the carotid canal; the internal carotid artery does not travel through foramen lacerum (the segment of the internal carotid artery that travels superior to the foramen lacerum is called the lacerum segment).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Development

The foramen lacerum fills with cartilage after birth.<ref name="GRAYS2005" />Template:Rp

Clinical significance

The foramen lacerum has been described as a portal of entry into the cranium for tumours, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, juvenile angiofibroma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, melanoma, and lymphoma.<ref name=TAUBER1999>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

History

The first recorded mention of the foramen lacerum was by anatomist Wenzel Gruber in 1869.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=TAUBER1999 /> Study of the foramen has been neglected for many years because of the small role it plays in intracranial surgery.<ref name=TAUBER1999 />

Additional images

• 
  Foramen lacerum

External links

• Template:SUNYAnatomyFigs - "Internal view of skull."
• Photo of model at Waynesburg College skeleton/foramenlacerum
• Template:NormanAnatomy (Template:NormanAnatomyFig)
• {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}

• Image at ucsd.edu Template:Webarchive