Cranial Fossae and Foramina (Inferior and Anterior View) – Cranium (Skull)

00:01 We can also appreciate the foramina and other openings in other views. Here, we’re looking at an inferior view of the skull. From this perspective, we can identify the foramen ovale.

00:17 We see that labelled right in through here. This image labels the foramen spinosum.

00:24 We can just make out a very small portion of that opening. This particular view is demonstrating the foramen lacerum. We see it on this side. We can also see its boundaries right in through here on the opposite side. Here, we’ve labelled the carotid canal for you, the carotid artery specifically the internal carotid artery would enter here, runs within the canal that runs in this direction. So it’s going to run anteriorly and medially and then enter the skull. Here, we’re looking at an opening that lies between the styloid process here and the mastoid process more laterally. This is the stylomastoid foramen. Here, we’ve identified the jugular foramen.

01:20 Then lastly, the very large foramen magnum is seen right in through here. Then this particular slide shows all the openings that we just walked through on a single side. You can appreciate the relationships then on these various openings to one another. Here, we’re looking at an anterior view of the skull. There are various foramina and other openings associated with the anterior skull. These will be all new openings that we haven’t seen before. So, in an anterior view, the first foramen or opening to identify is right above the orbit. This is the supraorbital foramen. It will transmit the supraorbital artery, vein, and nerve. Here, we’re looking at the superior orbital fissure. This is an exception in that we did see this from within the middle cranial fossa. It’s going to transmit the cranial nerves that innervate the muscles of the eyes.

02:33 We’re looking at cranial nerves III, IV, and VI. The optic canal is seen from this view as well. We did see this from the middle cranial fossa. Again, that will transmit the optic nerve or cranial nerve II. Here, we see something that we did not really identify in the middle fossa.

02:59 We’re looking at the inferior orbital fissure. This does not transmit structures of interest.

03:08 Lying below the orbit, we have an infraorbital foramen. This will transmit the infraorbital neurovasculature, so the infraorbital artery, vein, and nerve will be transmitted through this foramen. Then lastly, we have this foramen in anterior or lateral mandible.

03:34 This is referred to as the mental foramen. It transmits the mental artery, vein, and nerve, those particular neurovascular structures.