(supplementary notes)

Lecture: CRANIAL CAVITY IV.A ANTERIOR CRANIAL FOSSA

I. MAJOR CONTENTS  FLOOR

a. Brain a. orbital plate of frontal bone
b. Intracranial parts of the cranial and spinal b. cribriform plate of the ethmoid
nerves - Transmits the Olfactory nerves (CN I)
c. Blood vessels, venous sinuses c. Crista galli
d. Meninges (dura, arachnoid, pia mater) - for the attachment of falx cerebri
e. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
 Houses the Frontal Lobes of the Cerebral
II. BONE STRUCTURES Hemispheres
a. Frontal
b. Parietal  Boundaries:
c. Sphenoid o Anteriorly – frontal bone
d. Temporal
e. Occipital o Laterally – squamous part of the frontal
f. Ethmoid bone

o Midline – ethmoid bone

III. SUPERIOR PART OF CRANIUM (Calvaria)
- Its internal surface shows: o Posteriorly – posterior margin of lesser
a. Coronal sutures wing of the sphenoid
b. Sagittal sutures
- anterior margin of the chiasmatic sulcus
c. Lambdoid sutures
d. shallow sagittal groove (found in the midline) o Median part locates the groove for the
- lodges superior sagittal sinus optic chiasma
e. granular pits
- small pits found on both sides of the groove
- lodge the lateral lacunae and arachnoid IV.B MIDDLE CRANIAL FOSSA
granulations/pacchionian body
f. parietal foramen  Supports the temporal lobes of the cerebral
- found at the sides of sagittal groove hemispheres
- transmits emissary vein  Median part
g. narrow grooves - raised
- for the anterior and posterior div. of middle - formed by body of the sphenoid
meningeal vessels  Anterior
- lesser wings of the sphenoid
IV. BASE OF THE SKULL - anterior clinoid process
- Its interior is divided into 3 cranial fossae: - anterior margin of the chiasmatic sulcus
a. Anterior Cranial Fossa  Posterior
– frontal lobes - superior borders of the petrous parts of the
b. Middle Cranial Fossa temporal bones
– temporal lobes - Dorsum sellae
c. Posterior Cranial Fossa  Lateral
– hindbrain - temporal bone (squamous part)
- greater wing of the sphenoid
- parietal bones
- petrous part of temporal bone
 The floor of each lateral part of the middle  Carotid canal
cranial fossa is formed by - opens into the side of Foramen lacerum
- greater wing of the sphenoid - transmits the Internal Carotid Artery (ICA)
- temporal bone – squamous and petrous and sympathetic nerves
parts
- Sella turcica  TEGMEN TYMPANI
a. thin plate of bone
 Superior Orbital Fissure b. forms the roof of mastoid antrum, tympanic
- Slit-like opening between the lesser and cavity and auditory tube
greater wings of sphenoid c. only major barrier separating infection in the
- Transmits: tympanic cavity from the temporal lobe
 Oculomotor n.; Trochlear n.; lacrimal,
frontal and nasociliary branches of the  SELLAE TURCICA
ophthalmic division of the Trigeminal a. Behind the Tuberculum Sella
n.; Abducens and Ophthalmic n b. Holds the pituitary gland
 Optic Canal c. Bounded posteriorly by the Dorsum
- contains optic nerve, ophthalmic artery and Sellae
meninges
 POSTERIOR CLINOID PROCESS
 Foramen Rotundum a. Two tubercles at the superior angles of the
- Behind the medial end of the Superior dorsum sellae
Orbital Fissure b. Attachment for the Tentorium cerebelli
- Transmits the Maxillary division of the
Trigeminal Nerve (CN V)  Cavernous sinus
a. Directly related to the side of the body of the
 Foramen Ovale Sphenoid
- Posterolateral to Foramen rotundum
- Transmits the following:
IV.C POSTERIOR CRANIAL FOSSA
 Sensory and Motor roots of the
Mandibular division of the Trigeminal  Very deep
nerve (CN V)  Lodges parts of the Hindbrain
 Lesser Petrosal nerve a. Cerebellum
b. Pons
 Emissary veins c. Medulla oblongata
 Accessory meningeal vein/artery
 Boundaries:
 Foramen spinosum - Anteriorly – superior border of the petrous
- Posterolateral to Foramen ovale part of temporal bone, basilar part of
- Transmits the Middle Meningeal Artery occipital bone , dorsum sellae
- Posteriorly - squamous part of occipital
 Foramen lacerum bone
- Large - Lateral – parietal bone
- Triangular/irregular - Floor – occipital bone and temporal bone
- Between apex of petrous part of Temporal
bone and Sphenoid
- transmits very small blood vessels from the
cranial cavity to the neck
  Foramen magnum
– central part of the floor
- Spinal cord
- meninges
- ascending spinal parts of accessory
nerve
- Two (2) vertebral arteries
- anterior and posterior spinal arteries

 Hypoglossal Canal

- Anterolateral boundary of the F. magnum

- Transmits

 Hypoglossal nerve
 emissary veins
 meningeal branch of ascending pharyngeal
artery

 Jugular foramen

- Between petrous part of the Temporal bone

and condylar part of the Occipital bone

- Transmits the following:

a) Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)

b) Vagus nerve (CN X)

c) Accessory nerves (CN XI)

 Sigmoid sinus leaves the skull and becomes the

Internal jugular vein

 Internal Acoustic Meatus

- Petrous part of the Temporal bone

- Transmits the following:

 Vestibulocochlear or Auditory nerve (CN VIII)

 Facial nerve (CN VII)

 Internal auditory artery