Foramen Lacerum - Transit Through The Foramen Lacerum

Transit Through The Foramen Lacerum

The internal carotid artery passes superiorly from the carotid canal in the base of the skull, emerging via that part of the foramen lacerum which is not occluded by cartilage.

The artery of pterygoid canal, the nerve of pterygoid canal and some venous drainage also pass through the foramen lacerum.

• The nerve of pterygoid canal is composed of the deep petrosal nerve and the greater petrosal nerve, the former carrying sympathetic fibres and the latter parasympathetic fibres of the autonomic nervous system to blood vessels, mucous membranes, salivary glands, and lacrimal glands.

• Furthermore, one of the terminal branches of the ascending pharyngeal artery (itself a branch of the external carotid artery) passes through the foramen lacerum. The ascending pharyngeal artery is one of three possible "meningeal branches" of this vessel.

• Some emissary veins pass through the foramen lacerum. These connect the extracranial pterygoid plexus with the intracranial cavernous sinus and present an unopposed route for infection.

• This is also a route for nasopharyngeal carcinoma to gain access to the cavernous sinus and affect cranial nerves.