List of foramina of the human body

This article lists foramina that occur in the human body.

Part of a series of lists about
Human anatomy
General
Structures
Muscles
See also

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 foramen2supraorbital artery supraorbital veinsupraorbital nerve
frontalanterior cranial fossaforamen cecum1emissary veins to superior sagittal sinus from the upper part of the nose[3]
ethmoidanterior cranial fossa (osama)foramina of cribriform plate~20-olfactory nerve bundles (I)
ethmoidanterior cranial fossaanterior ethmoidal foramen2anterior ethmoidal artery
anterior ethmoidal vein		anterior ethmoidal nerve
ethmoidanterior cranial fossaposterior ethmoidal foramen2posterior ethmoidal artery
posterior ethmoidal vein		posterior ethmoidal nerve
sphenoid-optic canal2ophthalmic arteryoptic nerve (II)
sphenoidmiddle cranial fossasuperior orbital fissure2superior ophthalmic veinoculomotor nerve (III)
trochlear nerve (IV)
lacrimal, frontal and nasociliary branches of ophthalmic nerve (V1)
abducent nerve (VI)
sphenoidmiddle cranial fossaforamen rotundum2-maxillary nerve (V2)
maxilla-incisive foramen/canal/Stenson/Scarpa4terminal branch of descending palatine arteryTerminal part of[3] nasopalatine nerve (V2)
palatine-greater palatine foramen2greater palatine artery
greater palatine vein		greater palatine nerve
palatine and sphenoid-foramen sphenopalatinum2sphenopalatine artery
sphenopalatine vein		nasopalatine nerve
rami nasales posteriores superiores (V2)
palatine and maxilla-lesser palatine foramina4lesser palatine arteries
lesser palatine vein		lesser palatine nerve, greater palatine nerve[3]
sphenoid and maxilla-inferior orbital fissure2inferior 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 foramen2infraorbital artery
infraorbital vein, tributary of pterygoid plexus		infraorbital nerve
sphenoidmiddle cranial fossaforamen ovale2accessory meningeal artery, emissary vein connecting cavernous sinus with pterygoid plexusmandibular nerve (V3)
lesser petrosal nerve (occasionally)[3]
sphenoidmiddle cranial fossaforamen spinosum2middle meningeal arterymeningeal branch of the mandibular nerve (V3)
sphenoidmiddle cranial fossaforamen lacerum2artery of pterygoid canal, Meningeal branch of ascending pharyngeal artery, emissary veinnerve of pterygoid canal through its anterior wall
temporalmiddle cranial fossacarotid canal2internal carotid arteryinternal carotid plexus, sympathetics from the superior cervical ganglion
temporalposterior cranial fossainternal acoustic meatus2labyrinthine arteryfacial nerve (VII), vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)
temporalposterior cranial fossajugular foramen2internal jugular vein, inferior petrosal sinus, sigmoid sinusglossopharyngeal nerve (IX), vagus nerve (X), accessory nerve (XI)
temporalposterior cranial fossastylomastoid foramen2stylomastoid arteryfacial nerve (VII)
occipitalposterior cranial fossahypoglossal canal2-hypoglossal nerve (XII)
occipitalposterior cranial fossaforamen magnum1anterior and posterior spinal arteries, vertebral arterieslowest part of medulla oblongata, three meninges, ascending spinal fibers of accessory nerve (XI)[3]
occipitalposterior cranial fossacondylar canal1occipital emissary vein, meningeal branch of occipital artery
  • Base of the skull, upper surface
    Base of the skull, upper surface
  • Base of the skull, inferior surface, attachment of muscles marked in red
    Base of the skull, inferior surface, attachment of muscles marked in red

Spine
Main article: Intervertebral foramina

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

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.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Patron V, Berkaoui J, Jankowski R, Lechapt-Zalcman E, Moreau S, Hitier M (Sep 2015). "The forgotten foramina: a study of the anterior cribriform plate". Surg Radiol Anat. 37 (7): 835–40. doi:10.1007/s00276-015-1471-2. PMID 25823692. S2CID 8906446.
  3. 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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