Which statement regarding the foramen lacerum is correct?
- A The internal carotid artery traverses its full length
- B In the intact skull, no significant structure passes completely through it ✓
- C It transmits the maxillary nerve
- D It is filled by the trigeminal ganglion
Correct answer: B. In the intact skull, no significant structure passes completely through it
Explanation
The foramen lacerum is a cartilage-filled gap at the junction of the sphenoid, temporal, and occipital bones. In life it is plugged by fibrocartilage, and no major structure passes entirely through it. The internal carotid artery only crosses over its upper surface as it enters the cavernous sinus, having emerged from the carotid canal. The maxillary nerve uses the foramen rotundum, and the trigeminal ganglion lies in Meckel's cave on the trigeminal impression of the petrous apex.
Reference: Gray's Anatomy, 42nd ed.
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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.