The chorda tympani nerve passes through the middle ear crossing the tympanic membrane medially, between the malleus and incus. It exits the skull via which foramen?

• A Stylomastoid foramen
• B Foramen ovale
• C Petrotympanic (Glaserian) fissure ✓
• D Internal acoustic meatus

Explanation

After crossing the middle ear cavity between the neck of the malleus and the long process of the incus, the chorda tympani exits the temporal bone via the petrotympanic (Glaserian) fissure to enter the infratemporal fossa, where it joins the lingual nerve. The stylomastoid foramen is the exit point for the main trunk of the facial nerve (CN VII). The foramen ovale transmits the mandibular division of CN V (V3). The internal acoustic meatus is where the facial and vestibulocochlear nerves enter the petrous temporal bone.

Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.