Foramen lacerum
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Prashant Mudgal had no recorded disclosures.
View Prashant Mudgal's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Yoshi Yu had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Yoshi Yu's current disclosuresThe foramen lacerum (plural: foramina lacera) is a triangular opening located in the middle cranial fossa formed by the continuation of the petrosphenoidal and petroclival fissures. Thus, it is a gap between bones, alternatively termed the sphenopetroclival synchondrosis, rather than a true foramen within a bone 2.
Gross anatomy
The foramen lacerum is filled with cartilage and transmits the small meningeal branches of the ascending pharyngeal artery and emissary veins from the cavernous sinus to the pterygoid venous plexus 3. The internal carotid artery passes along its superior surface but does not traverse it. The greater petrosal nerve enters from the posterolateral aspect, joins with the deep petrosal nerve, and leaves anteriorly as the nerve of the pterygoid canal.
It measures approximately 9 mm in length and 7 mm in breadth.
Relations and/or Boundaries
posterior: petrous apex
anterior: body of the sphenoid bone at the junction of greater wing and pterygoid process
medial: basilar part of the occipital bone
References
- 1. Lang J. Skull Base and Related Structures. Schattauer GmbH. (2001) ISBN:3794519477. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Standring S. Gray's Anatomy. (2015) ISBN: 9780702052309
- 3. Ali A. Bazroon & Paramvir Singh. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Foramen Lacerum. StatPearls Publishing. 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541026/ - Pubmed
Incoming Links
- Inferolateral trunk
- Middle cranial fossa
- Internal carotid artery
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
- Sphenopetrosal suture
- Greater superficial petrosal nerve
- Cranial foramina
- Cavernous sinus
- Pterygoid venous plexus
- Foramen ovale (skull)
- Bouthillier classification of internal carotid artery segments
- Longitudinal temporal bone fractures
- Deep petrosal nerve
- Petro-occipital fissure
- Carotid canal
- Petrous part of temporal bone
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