List of foramina of the human body
Skull
The human skull has numerous openings (foramina), through which cranial nerves, arteries, veins, and other structures pass. These foramina vary in size and number, with age.

List of foramina of the human body

Section Title: Skull
Table Section Text: The human skull has numerous openings (foramina), through which cranial nerves, arteries, veins, and other structures pass. These foramina vary in size and number, with age.

Bone	Cranial fossa	Foramina	Number	Vessels	Nerves

frontal	supraorbital foramen	2	supraorbital artery supraorbital vein	supraorbital nerve

frontal	anterior cranial fossa	foramen cecum	1	emissary veins to superior sagittal sinus from the upper part of the nose

ethmoid	anterior cranial fossa (osama)	foramina of cribriform plate	~20	olfactory nerve bundles (I)

ethmoid	anterior cranial fossa	anterior ethmoidal foramen	2	anterior ethmoidal artery anterior ethmoidal vein	anterior ethmoidal nerve

ethmoid	anterior cranial fossa	posterior ethmoidal foramen	2	posterior ethmoidal artery posterior ethmoidal vein	posterior ethmoidal nerve

sphenoid	optic canal	2	ophthalmic artery	optic nerve (II)

sphenoid	middle cranial fossa	superior orbital fissure	2	superior ophthalmic vein	oculomotor nerve (III) trochlear nerve (IV) lacrimal, frontal and nasociliary branches of ophthalmic nerve (V1) abducent nerve (VI)

sphenoid	middle cranial fossa	foramen rotundum	2	maxillary nerve (V2)

maxilla	incisive foramen/canal/Stenson/Scarpa	4	terminal branch of palatine descendens artery	Terminal part of nasopalatine nerve (V2)

palatine	greater palatine foramen	2	greater palatine artery greater palatine vein	greater palatine nerve

palatine and sphenoid	foramen sphenopalatinum	2	sphenopalatina artery sphenopalatina vein	nasopalatine nerve rami nasales posteriores superiores (V2)

palatine and maxilla	lesser palatine foramina	4	lesser palatine artery lesser palatine vein	lesser palatine nerve, greater palatine nerve

sphenoid and maxilla	inferior orbital fissure	2	inferior ophthalmic veins infraorbital artery infraorbital vein, tributary of pterygoid plexus	zygomatic nerve and infraorbital nerve of maxillary nerve (V2) orbital branches of pterygopalatine ganglion

maxilla	infraorbital foramen	2	infraorbital artery infraorbital vein, tributary of pterygoid plexus	infraorbital nerve

sphenoid	middle cranial fossa	foramen ovale	2	accessory meningeal artery, emissary vein connecting cavernous sinus with pterygoid plexus	mandibular nerve (V3) lesser petrosal nerve (occasionally)

sphenoid	middle cranial fossa	foramen spinosum	2	middle meningeal artery	meningeal branch of the mandibular nerve (V3)

sphenoid	middle cranial fossa	foramen lacerum	2	artery of pterygoid canal, Meningeal branch of ascending pharyngeal artery, Occipital artery, emissary vein	nerve of pterygoid canal through its anterior wall

temporal	posterior cranial fossa	internal acoustic meatus	2	labyrinthine artery	facial nerve (VII), vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)

temporal	posterior cranial fossa	jugular foramen	2	internal jugular vein, inferior petrosal sinus, sigmoid sinus, Occipital artery	glossopharyngeal nerve (IX), vagus nerve (X), accessory nerve (XI)

occipital	posterior cranial fossa	hypoglossal canal	2	hypoglossal nerve (XII)

occipital	posterior cranial fossa	foramen magnum	1	anterior and posterior spinal arteries, vertebral arteries	lowest part of medulla oblongata, three meninges, ascending spinal fibers of accessory nerve (XI)

temporal	posterior cranial fossa	stylomastoid foramen	2	stylomastoid artery	facial nerve (VII)

Sentence(s)

The superior orbital fissure is a foramen in the skull in sphenoid bone.

final_sentence: The superior orbital fissure is a foramen in the skull in sphenoid bone.