- Mastoid foramen
-
Bone: Mastoid foramen 
Left temporal bone. Inner surface. (Mastoid foramen labeled at bottom left.) 
Base of the skull. Upper surface. (Temporal bone is pink, and label for mastoid foramen is at left, second from the bottom.) Latin foramen mastoideum Gray's subject #34 141 The mastoid foramen is a large hole in the posterior border of the temporal bone. It transmits a Mastoid emissary vein to the sigmoid sinus and a small branch of the occipital artery, the posterior meningeal artery to the dura mater.
Variations
The position and size of this foramen are very variable; it is not always present; sometimes it is situated in the occipital bone, or in the suture between the temporal and the occipital.
It transmits (1) an emissary vein connecting the sigmoid sinus with the posterior auricular vein and (2) a meningeal branch of the occipital artery
Additional images
-
Base of skull. Inferior surface.
External links
- Mastoid+foramen at eMedicine Dictionary
- Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 34257.000-1
- Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 34257.000-2
- Akram Abood Jaffar: Personal website, Anatomical variations
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.
Bones of head and neck: Foramina of the skull (and canals, fissures, meati, and hiati) (TA A02.1.00.053–097, GA 2.178–199) Anterior cranial fossa to Orbit: ethmoidal foramina (anterior, posterior)
to Nasal cavity: olfactory foramina (CN-I) · foramen cecumMiddle cranial fossa to Orbit: optic canal (CN-II) · superior orbital fissure (CN-III,IV,V1,VI)
to Pterygopalatine fossa: foramen rotundum (CN-V2) · pterygoid canal
to Infratemporal fossa: foramen ovale (CN-V3) · foramen spinosum/carotid canal
other: foramen lacerum · hiatus for greater petrosal nerve · hiatus for lesser petrosal nerve · sphenoidal emissary foramenPosterior cranial fossa internal auditory meatus/facial canal/stylomastoid foramen (CN-VII,VIII) · jugular foramen (CN-IX,X,XI) · foramen magnum (CN-XI) · hypoglossal canal (CN-XII) · condylar canal · mastoid foramenOrbit to Nasal cavity: nasolacrimal canal
to Face: supraorbital (notch, foramen) · infraorbital (foramen, groove) · zygomatic foramen (-facial, -temporal)
to Pterygopalatine fossa: inferior orbital fissure
other: Inferior orbital fissure · Fossa for lacrimal sacPterygopalatine fossa to Oral cavity: incisive canals · incisive foramen
to Nasal cavity: Foramen vomerinum · Meatus vomerinus · Fissura vomerina · Hiatus vomerinusOther Categories:- Foramina of the skull
- Musculoskeletal system stubs
-
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
