Foramen lacerum
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The foramen lacerum is a triangular opening located in the middle cranial fossa anterior to the petrous apex, which forms its posterior border. Its anterior border is formed by the body of the sphenoid bone at the junction of greater wing and pterygoid process and medial border is formed by the basilar part of the occipital bone. It measures approximately 9 mm in length and 7 mm in breadth.
The foramen lacerum is filled with connective tissue and transmits the small meningeal branches of the ascending pharyngeal artery and emissary veins from the cavernous sinus to the pterygoid venous plexus . The internal carotid artery passes along its superior surface but does not traverse it.Greater petrosal nerve enters from postero lateral aspect and leaves anteriorly as nerve of pterygoid canal .
-<p>The <strong>foramen lacerum</strong> is a triangular opening located in the <a href="/articles/middle-cranial-fossa">middle cranial fossa</a> anterior to the <a href="/articles/temporal-bone-1">petrous apex</a>, which forms its posterior border. Its anterior border is formed by the body of the <a href="/articles/sphenoid-bone">sphenoid bone</a> at the junction of <a title="Greater wing of sphenoid" href="/articles/greater-wing-of-sphenoid">greater wing</a> and <a href="/articles/pterygoid-processes">pterygoid process</a> and medial border is formed by the basilar part of the occipital bone. It measures approximately 9 mm in length and 7 mm in breadth.</p><p>The foramen lacerum is filled with connective tissue and transmits the small meningeal branches of the <a href="/articles/ascending-pharyngeal-artery">ascending pharyngeal artery</a> and emissary veins from the <a href="/articles/cavernous-sinus">cavernous sinus</a>. The <a href="/articles/internal-carotid-artery-1">internal carotid artery</a> passes along its superior surface but does not traverse it.</p>- +<p>The <strong>foramen lacerum</strong> is a triangular opening located in the <a href="/articles/middle-cranial-fossa">middle cranial fossa</a> anterior to the <a href="/articles/temporal-bone-1">petrous apex</a>, which forms its posterior border. Its anterior border is formed by the body of the <a href="/articles/sphenoid-bone">sphenoid bone</a> at the junction of <a href="/articles/greater-wing-of-sphenoid">greater wing</a> and <a href="/articles/pterygoid-processes">pterygoid process</a> and medial border is formed by the basilar part of the occipital bone. It measures approximately 9 mm in length and 7 mm in breadth.</p><p>The foramen lacerum is filled with connective tissue and transmits the small meningeal branches of the <a href="/articles/ascending-pharyngeal-artery">ascending pharyngeal artery</a> and emissary veins from the <a href="/articles/cavernous-sinus">cavernous sinus</a> to the pterygoid venous plexus . The <a href="/articles/internal-carotid-artery-1">internal carotid artery</a> passes along its superior surface but does not traverse it.Greater petrosal nerve enters from postero lateral aspect and leaves anteriorly as nerve of pterygoid canal .</p>