1. Foramens of the base of skull

2. What is foramen? A foramen (pl. foramina) is an opening.
Foramina allow muscles, nerves, arteries, veins, or other structures to connect one part of the body with another.

3. Superior view of the cranial base

4. Inferior view of the cranial base

5. Structures Passing through
Foramen
Located in or Formed by
Structures Passing through
Incisive foramen
Maxilla (palatine process)
Nasopalatine n., sphenopalatine a.
Greater palatine foramen
Palatine
Greater palatine n. and vessels
Lesser palatine foramina
Lesser palatine n. and vessels

6. Foramen ovale
Sphenoid
Mandibular division of the
trigeminal n., accessory meningeal
a., lesser petrosal n., emissary v.
Foramen spinosum
Middle meningeal vessels and
meningeal branch of the
mandibular division of the
trigeminal n.
Foramen rotundum
Maxillary division of the
Sphenoid foramen
Emissary v.

7. Foramen lacerum
Articulation of the sphenoid (greater wing and body), temporal (petrous portion), and occipital (basilar portion) bones
Nothing passes through it sphenoid Filled with fibrocartilage during body), temporal (petrous life (although the anterior wall of the foramen has an opening for the pterygoid canal and the posterior wall has an opening for the carotid canal)

8. Opening for auditory tube Temporal and sphenoid
Mastoid foramen
Temporal (mastoid
portion)
Emissary v. (sometimes branches of the occipital a.)
Opening for auditory tube
Temporal and sphenoid
Cartilaginous portion of the
auditory tube
Tympanic canaliculus
Temporal
Tympanic branch of the
glossopharyngeal n.

9. Jugular foramen
Temporal (petrous portion) and occipital
Glossopharyngeal n., vagus n., spinal accessory n., inferior
petrosal sinus, sigmoid sinus,
posterior meningeal a.
Mastoid canaliculus
Temporal (within the jugular fossa)
Auricular branch of the vagus n.

10. Petrotympanic fissure
Temporal
Chorda tympani n., anterior tympanic a.
Stylomastoid foramen
Facial n., stylomastoid a.
Tympanomastoid fissure
Auricular branch of the vagus n.

11. Hypoglossal canal
Occipital
Hypoglossal n.
Condylar canal
Emissary v., meningeal branches of
ascending pharyngeal a.
Foramen magnum
Medulla oblongata, vertebral
arteries, spinal roots of the spinal
accessory n.

12. Foramen cecum
Between the frontal and ethmoid bones
Emissary v. from nasal cavity to
the superior sagittal sinus
Anterior ethmoid foramen
Anterior ethmoid n. and vessels
Posterior ethmoid foramen
Posterior ethmoid n. and vessels

13. Carotid canal
Temporal (petrous portion)
Internal carotid a., internal carotid
n. plexus (sympathetics)
Hiatus for the lesser petrosal n.
Lesser petrosal n.
Hiatus for the greater petrosal n.
Greater petrosal n.
Internal acoustic meatus
Facial n., vestibulocochlear n.,
labyrinthine a.
Opening of the vestibular aqueduct
Endolymphatic duct