H&N 2: Skull & Intracranial Region

Question 1

What is the function of the cranium?

Answer 1

Protects the brain and sensory organs

Question 2

Which 2 parts form the cranium?

Answer 2

1. Neurocranium

2. Viscerocranium

Question 3

What is the neurocranium made up of?

Answer 3

• skull cap (calvaria)
• basicranium
• intracranial region inner surface of the base of the skull

Question 4

What is the basicranium?

Answer 4

• when you remove the brain and turn the skull upside down

Question 5

What is the intracranial region?

Answer 5

• skull when brain is removed

Question 6

List the bones the neurocranium is made up of

Answer 6

Singular bones:
1. Frontal 
2. Ethmoidal 
3. Sphenoidal
4. Occipital 
Paired bones:
5. Temporal 
6. Parietal

Question 7

What does the viscerocranium comprise of?

Answer 7

• facial bones in the ant. part of the cranium:
• bones surrounding mouth, forming the upper and lower jaws
• nose, nasal cavity + orbit

Question 8

List the bones of the viscerocranium

Answer 8

Singular:
- mandible
- vomer 
Paired:
- maxillae 
- inf. nasal conchae (aka turbinates)
- zygomatic 
- palatine 
- nasal 
- lacrimal

Question 9

What is the function of nasal tubrinates?

Answer 9

circ air and warms it up

Question 10

Which bone is sup. + middle nasal conchae part of?

Answer 10

Ethmoid

Question 11

Which joint is the only moveable joint of the cranium?

Answer 11

temporomandibular joint with articulates with the cranial base

Question 12

Which bones form the nasal septum?

Answer 12

• perpendicular plate of ethmoid bone

- vomer

Question 13

What is the sig of the pterion?

Answer 13

• v. fragile area where all bones join together
• skull thin around temples around the pterion and middle meningeal artery which can lead to fatal injury as a result of trauma

Question 14

List the cranial bones

Answer 14

1. Frontal
2. Parietal
3. Occipital
4. Temporal
5. Sphenoid
6. Ethmoid

Question 15

What is the frontal bone?

Answer 15

• forms part of top of head, forehead and the roof of the orbits

Question 16

What is the parietal bone?

Answer 16

• div approx. mid-sagitally

- forms lat. walls and roof of cranium

Question 17

What is the occipital bone?

Answer 17

• reps post. region of skull

Question 18

What are the temporal bones?

Answer 18

• form inf. lat. walls + part of floor of the cranium

Question 19

What is the sphenoid bone?

Answer 19

• shaped like a butterfly/bat
• unites with the cranial (neurocranium) and facial (viscerocranium) bones
• articulates with every other cranial bone + palatine, zygomatic, maxillae + vomer

Question 20

What is the ethmoid bone?

Answer 20

• pos between the orbits
• forms anteromedial floor of cranium
• roof of nasal cavity
• part of medial wall of each orbit
• part of nasal septum

Question 21

What is the body of the sphenoid bone like?

Answer 21

• air-filled

Question 22

List the facial bones

Answer 22

1. Maxilla
2. Palatine
3. Zygomatic
4. Lacrimal
5. Nasal
6. Vomer
7. Inf. nasal conchae
8. Mandible

Question 23

What is the maxilla?

Answer 23

• forms central part of facial skeleton

- both unite to form upper jaw supporting the upper teeth

Question 24

What are the palatine bones?

Answer 24

• small bones with a distinct L shape

- form part of the hard palate, nasal cavity + eye orbit

Question 25

What are the zygomatic bones?

Answer 25

- cheekbones | - form part of the lat. wall of each orbit and the cheeks

Question 26

What are the lacrimal bones?

Answer 26

- smallest bones in the skull - form part of the medial wall of each orbit - have a groove that provides a passageway for each tear duct which drains tears into the nasal cavity

Question 27

What are the nasal bones?

Answer 27

- form the bridge of the nose | - lat. side articulates with the medial edge of the maxilla - often fractured by blows to the nose

Question 28

What is the vomer?

Answer 28

- forms inf. post. part of nasal septum - art along its midline with both maxilla and palatine bones - its wings art sup. with sphenoid bone and perpendicular plate of ethmoid forming together the bony nasal septum

Question 29

What is the inf. nasal conchae?

Answer 29

- in lat. wall of nasal cavity - help create turbulence in inhaled air - has sup. + middle counterparts that are part of the ethmoid bone (but these are sep bones)

Question 30

What is the mandible?

Answer 30

- forms entire lower jaw - supports lower teeth - provides attachment for muscles of mastication

Question 31

What are the skull air sinuses?

Answer 31

- spaces that containing air + mucus which drains through them + out of nose

Question 32

List the 4 main pairs of sinus cavities in the skull

Answer 32

1. Frontal 2. Ethmoid 3. Sphenoid 4. Maxillary

Question 33

What is the sig of infection in skull air sinuses?

Answer 33

- infection in frontal, ethmoid + sphenoid drain down bc of gravity - but infection in maxillary drains against gravity - need antibiotics to clear infection