Following a penetrating injury at the left upper neck, a patient has loss of taste on the posterior third of the tongue, paralysis of the left vocal cord, and weakness of left trapezius and sternocleidomastoid. Through which foramen do the injured nerves pass?

• A Hypoglossal canal
• B Foramen magnum
• C Stylomastoid foramen
• D Jugular foramen ✓

Explanation

The glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves all exit through the jugular foramen, and combined injury there gives Vernet syndrome: loss of taste on the posterior third of the tongue (IX), vocal cord paralysis with dysphagia (X), and weakness of trapezius and sternocleidomastoid (XI). The hypoglossal nerve exits separately through the hypoglossal canal and would add tongue weakness on protrusion, which this patient does not have.

Reference: Gray's Anatomy, 42nd ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.