Flashcards in Middle Cranial Fossa Deck (41):
1
What are the boundaries for the middle cranial fossa?
- anterior: lesser wings, anterior clinoid processes, and sphenoidal jugum of sphenoid bone
- posterior: superior border of petrous part of temporal bone, posterior clinoid porcesses, and dorsum sella of sphenoid bone
2
What part of the cerebrum occupies the middle cranial fossa?
temporal poles of temporal lobes of cerebrum
3
What prominent parts of the brain rest on the middle cranial fossa?
- temporal poles of temporal lobes of cerebrum
- hypophysis cerebri
- optic chiasma
4
What bony feature is prominent in the median plane of the middle cranial fossa?
sella turcica
5
What are the parts of the sella turcica?
- anterior clinoid processes
- sphenoidal jugum
- posterior clinoid processes
- dorsum sella
- hypophyseal fossa of sphenoid bone
6
What forms the anterior boundary for the sella turcica?
- anterior clinoid processes
- sphenoidal jugum
7
What forms the posterior boundary for the sella turcica?
- posterior clinoid processes
- dorsum sella
8
What forms the floor of the sella turcica?
hypophyseal fossa
9
What forms the roof of the sella turcica?
diaphragma sella
10
What neural structure occupies the sella turcica?
hypophysis cerebri or pituitary gland
11
What neuronal structure is located in front of the pituitary gland?
optic chiasmata
12
Which cranial nerves exit the skull via middle cranial fossa ostia?
cranial nerves II, III, IV, V, and VI
13
What will the optic canal communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- orbit
14
What are the contents of the optic canal?
- optic nerve
- ophthalmic artery
15
What will the superior orbital fissure communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- orbit
16
What are the contents of the superior orbital fissure?
- ophthalmic veins
- oculomotor nerve
- trochlear nerve
- ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve
- abducent nerve
17
What cranial nerves are located within the superior orbital fissure?
- cranial nerve III (oculomotor)
- cranial nerve IV (trochlear)
- cranial nerve Va (ophthalmic division of the trigeminal)
- cranial nerve VI (abducent)
18
Which single opening will allow the exit of the greatest number of cranial nerves?
superior orbital fissure
19
What is unique about the ophthalmic artery and veins?
- unlike other artery-vein combinations, they will not share the same opening
- the ophthalmic artery is in the optic canal
- ophthalmic veins are in the superior orbital fissure
20
What will the foramen rotundum communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- pterygopalatine fossa
21
What are the contents of the foramen rotundum?
maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve Vb)
22
What will the foramen ovale communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- infratemporal region
23
What are the contents of the foramen ovale?
- mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve (Vc)
- lesser petrosal branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve
24
What will the foramen spinosum communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- infratemporal region
25
What are the contents of the foramen spinosum?
- nervus spinosus from the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve
- middle meningeal artery
26
What bones converge to form the foramen lacerum?
- temporal
- sphenoid
- occipital
27
What will the foramen lacerum communicate with in the living person?
- it crosses between parts of the middle cranial fossa
- it is not a major exit from the skull as would be suggested by the dry skull
28
What are the contents of the foramen lacerum?
- internal carotid artery
- carotid sympathetic nerve plexus
- venous plexus
29
What will the carotid canal communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- parotid region
30
What are the contents of the carotid canal?
- internal carotid artery
- carotid sympathetic nerve plexus
31
What will the hiatus for the greater (superficial) petrosal nerve communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- temporal bone
32
What are the contents of the hiatus for the greater petrosal nerve?
greater (superficial) petrosal nerve, a branch of the facial nerve
33
What forms the vidian nerve/nerve of the pterygoid canal?
- greater (superficial) petrosal nerve from the facial nerve
- deep petrosal nerve from the carotid sympathetic nerve plexus
34
What will the vidian canal/pterygoid canal communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- pterygopalatine fossa
35
What are the contents of the vidian/pterygoid canal?
the vidian nerve or the nerve of the pterygoid canal
36
What will the hiatus for the lesser petrosal nerve communicate with?
- middle cranial fossa
- temporal bone
37
What are the contents of the hiatus for the lesser petrosal nerve?
lesser petrosal nerve, a branch of the tympanic plexus from the glossopharyngeal nerve
38
How will the lesser petrosal nerve typically exit the middle cranial fossa?
foramen ovale
39
What are the various ostia observed in the middle cranial fossa?
- optic canal
- superior orbital fissure
- foramen rotundum
- foramen ovale
- foramen spinosum
- hiatus for the greater (superior) petrosal nerve
- vidian/pterygoid canal
- hiatus for the lesser petrosal nerve
- carotid canal
- foramen lacerum
40
What cranial nerves are represented in the middle cranial fossa?
- cranial nerve II (optic)
- III (oculomotor)
- IV (trochlear)
- Va (ophthalmic division of the trigeminal)
- Vb (maxillary division of the trigeminal)
- Vc (mandibular division of the trigeminal)
- VI (abducent)
- VII (greater/superficial petrosal nerve of the facial)
- IX (lesser petrosal nerve of the glossopharyngeal)
41