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Review
. 2018 Apr 18;10(4):e2500.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.2500.

Cranial Nerve Foramina: Part II - A Review of the Anatomy and Pathology of Cranial Nerve Foramina of the Posterior Cranial Fossa

Bryan Edwards  1 , Joy Mh Wang  1 , Joe Iwanaga  2 , Marios Loukas  1 , R Shane Tubbs  3
Affiliations
Review

Cranial Nerve Foramina: Part II - A Review of the Anatomy and Pathology of Cranial Nerve Foramina of the Posterior Cranial Fossa

Bryan Edwards et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Cranial nerve foramina are integral exits from the confines of the skull. Despite their significance in cranial nerve pathologies, there has been no comprehensive anatomical review of these structures. Owing to the extensive nature of this topic we have divided our review into two parts; Part II, presented here, focuses on the foramina of the posterior cranial fossa and discusses each foramen's shape, orientation, size, surrounding structures, and structures that pass through it. Furthermore, by comparing foramen sizes against the cross-sectional areas of their contents, we determine the amount of free space available within each. We also review lesions that can obstruct each foramen and discuss the clinical consequences.

Keywords: cranial nerve; foramen; foramen magnum; hypoglossal canal; internal acoustic meatus; jugular foramen; posterior fossa; skull base.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Superior view of cranial floor.
Yellow - Posterior cranial fossa
Figure 2
Figure 2. Close up view of cranial nerve foramina within posterior cranial fossa.
(A) Superior view. (B) Oblique view C: Clivus; IAM: Internal acoustic meatus; JF: Jugular foramen; HC: Hypoglossal canal; FM: Foramen magnum.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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