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Head & Neck Anatomy > The Skull > Flashcards

The Skull Flashcards

1
Q

When does the fetal skull start to develop?

A

Week 4

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2
Q

What are fontanels?

A
  1. Connective tissue membrane
  2. Connected to growing cranial bones.
  3. Overlies venous and CSF drainage routes
  4. Allows bones to slide over each other
  5. Joints ossify over the course of adulthood
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3
Q

How many fontanels are there?

A

6 total: 4 paired, 2 unpaired

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4
Q

What does it mean if the fontanelle is sunken in?

A

The baby may be dehydrated or suffering failure to thrive

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5
Q

What does it mean if the fontanelle is pulsating heavily?

A

May indicate increased ICP (intracranial pressure)

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6
Q

List the fontanelles.

A
  1. Anterior: Largest, frontal, diamond shaped, in the coronal suture
  2. Posterior: Occipital, in the lambdoid suture
  3. Sphenoid (paired): Antero-lateral
  4. Mastoid (paired): Postero-lateral
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7
Q

How many bones make up the skull?

A

22 bones

21 immovable, 1 mandible

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8
Q

Name the 2 divisions of the skull.

A

Neurocranium and Viscerocranium

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9
Q

What is the Neurocranium?

A

It is also known as the Calvarium. It protects the brain.

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10
Q

What is the Viscerocranium?

A

It protects the entrance to the respiratory system and digestive system.

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11
Q

How many bones make up the Neurocranium? List the unpaired and paired bones.

A

8 bones total
Unpaired: Frontal, Ethmoid, Sphenoid, Occipital
Paired: Parietal, Temporal

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12
Q

How many bones make up the Viscerocranium? List the unpaired and paired bones.

A

14 bones total
Unpaired: Mandible, Vomer (medial aspect of septum)
Paired: Maxilla, Zygomatic, Nasal, Inferior nasal concha, Lacrimal, Palatine

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13
Q

What is the strongest bone in the Viscerocranium?

A

Zygomatic bone

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14
Q

What is the Pterion?

A

The weakest part of the skull because it is the point of contact of 4 different bones (Frontal, Parietal, Greater wing of the Sphenoid, and Squamous part of Temporal)

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15
Q

What makes trauma to the Pterion so dangerous?

A

The middle meningeal artery passes beneath the Pterion. Trauma to this region will cause an Epidural Hematoma leading to death.

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16
Q

Where is the Coronal suture?

A

Between the frontal bone and both parietal bones

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17
Q

Where is the Sagittal suture?

A

Where the parietal bones meet at the midline of the skull.

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18
Q

Where is the Lambdoid suture?

A

Where the occipital bone joins the parietal bones

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19
Q

The hard palate is composed of 2 bones. What are they?

A

Vomer and Palatine

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20
Q

What makes up the nasal septum?

A

Perpendicular plate of Ethmoid, Vomer, anterior midline carilage

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21
Q

What bones make up the Anterior Cranial Fossa?

A
  1. Orbital plates of the Frontal bone
  2. Lesser wing of Sphenoid
  3. Cribiform plate of Ethmoid
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22
Q

What bones make up the Middle Cranial Fossa?

A
  1. Body and greater wing of Sphenoid
  2. Temporal
  3. Parietal
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23
Q

What bones make up the Posterior Cranial Fossa?

A

Occipital, Sphenoid, Parietal

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24
Q

Name the 3 parts of the cranial fossae.

A

Anterior, Middle, Posterior

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25
Q

What bone forms the posterior and inferior surfaces of the cranium?

A

Occipital

26
Q

Name the soft tissue structures that pass through Foramen Magnum at the base of the skull.

A
  1. Medulla oblongata exits
  2. CN XI (Accessory) exits
  3. Vertebral arteries to the brain enters
    (Foramen Magnum connects cranial and spinal cavities)
27
Q

Name the soft tissue structures that pass through the Hypoglossal canal.

A
  1. CN XII (Hypoglossal) exits
    (the Hypoglossal nerve provides motor control to the tongue)
  2. Vessels

(PCF to base of skull)

28
Q

Name the soft tissue structures that pass through the Jugular foramen.

A

The jugular foramen is formed at the junction of the occipital bone and the temporal bone

  1. CN IX (Glossopharyngeal)
  2. CN X (Vagus)
  3. CN XI (Accessory)
  4. Internal jugular vein

(PCF to base of skull)

29
Q

What is the Clivus?

A

Part of the occipital bone ascending up towards the posterior clenoid process of sella turcica. CN VI (Abducens) leaves the brain stem here. Compression of CN VI can lead to increased ICP (intracranial pressure). This is called a 6th nerve palsy.

30
Q

What are parts of the Temporal bone?

A

Styloid Process
Mastoid Process
Petrous part
Mandibular fossa

31
Q

What is the styloid process attachment for?

A

tendons of several muscles

32
Q

What structure of the Temporal bone contains air cells? What are these air cells for?

A

The mastoid process. The air cells help equalize pressure in the middle ear.

33
Q

What structure of the temporal bone encloses the structures of the inner ear?

A

Petrous part

34
Q

What structure of the Temporal bone articulates with the mandible to form the TMJ?

A

Mandibular fossa

35
Q

What is the weakest part of the temporal bone?

A

Squamous part. This is 1 of the 4 bones that meet at the Pterion

36
Q

Name the foramen of the Temporal bones.

A
  1. Internal acoustic/auditory meatus
  2. External acoustic/auditory meatus
  3. Carotid canal
  4. Stylomastoid foramen
  5. Jugular process
37
Q

What goes through the internal acoustic meatus?

A

CN7 and CN8 enter the skull

38
Q

What goes through the external acoustic meatus?

A

sound to the ear drum

39
Q

What soft structure goes through the carotid foramen?

A

The Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) enters the skull through the Carotid foramen and passes over the foramen Lacerum

40
Q

What soft structure passes through the Stylomastoid foramen?

A

CN7 exits the skull

41
Q

What soft structures pass through the Jugular process?

A
  1. Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN9)
  2. Vagus nerve (CN10)
  3. Accessory nerve (CN11)
  4. Internal jugular vein
42
Q

Name the bones of the inner ear.

A

Malleus: hammer
Incus: anvil
Stapes: stirrup

43
Q

What is the flow of sound through the ear?

A
  1. External auditory meatus
  2. Tympanic Membrane (ear drum)
  3. Malleus
  4. Incus
  5. Stapes
  6. Oval Window to semicircular canals
44
Q

What are the functions of the Sphenoid?

A
  1. Part of the floor of the cranium
  2. Unites cranial and facial bones
  3. Strengthens sides of the skull
  4. Contains the sphenoid sinus (the pituitary gland lies above this sinus)
45
Q

Name the foramen in the Sphenoid bone and the structures that pass through each.

A
  1. Optic canal: Optic nerve (CN2) and Ophthalmic artery
  2. Superior Orbital Fissure: Ophthalmic nerve (CN3), Trochlear nerve (CN4), V1 (ophthalmic division of CN5), and superior ophthalmic vein
  3. Inferior Orbital Fissure: V2 (maxillary division of CN5) and inferior ophthalmic vein
  4. Foramen Rotundum: V2 (maxillary division of CN5
  5. Foramen Ovale: V3 (mandibular division of CN5)
  6. Foramen Spinosum: Middle Meningeal Artery
  7. Foraman Lacerum: not a true foramen. It is covered by cartilage in adults
46
Q

What are the functions of the Ethmoid bone?

A
  1. Forms the anteromedial floor of the cranium
  2. Roof of the nasal cavity
  3. Part of the nasal septum and medial orbital wall
  4. Contains superior and middle conchae
  5. Contains ethmoidal air cells (network of sinuses)
47
Q

What is the superior and middle conchae?

A

Narrow curled bone shelf that protrudes into the breathing passage. The spongy bone that warms and humidifies air

48
Q

Are the inferior conchae part of the Ethmoid bone?

A

No. The inferior conchae are their own structures

49
Q

What is the Vomer?

A

The Vomer is a facial bone. It separates the nasal cavity into left and right halves. It is attached to the sphenoid bone. The inferior portion joins anterior nasal cartilage and perpendicular plate of the ethmoid to form the nasal septum

50
Q

What are the inferior nasal conchae?

A

Hollow bone arising from the maxilla and projects into the nasal cavity. It is covered with mucus membrane. Humidifies and warms air.

51
Q

What is the Choane?

A

Internal openings of the nasal cavities into the nasopharynx

52
Q

What are the superficial facial bones?

A

Maxillae, Lacrimal, Nasal, Zygomatic, Mandible

53
Q

What are sinuses?

A

Cavities that decrease the weight of the skull.
Lined with mucous membranes.
Protect the entrances of the respiratory system.

54
Q

Describe the Lacrimal bone.

A

Located between the maxilla and ethmoid. Catches tears and drains them into the nasal cavity.

55
Q

What are Paranasal sinuses?

A

Air filled chambers that connect to the nasal cavities. The paranasal sinuses lighten the skull bones and provide mucous epithelium.

56
Q

Name the Paranasal sinuses.

A

Frontal sinus, Ethmoid sinus, Sphenoid sinus, and Maxillary sinus (largest)

57
Q

What is the Palatine bone?

A

Forms the hard palate of the mouth. The vertical portion forms a small part of posterior part of the orbital floor

58
Q

Describe the mandible.

A

Forms the lower jaw. It articulates with the temporal bone via the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ). The Mental foramen is located in the mandible. V3 of CN5 passes through the mental foramen.

59
Q

Name the major openings and cavities of the skull.

A

Orbit, External auditory meatus, Oral cavity, Piriform aperture, nasal cavity, Chaonae, Zygomatic arch, and Foramen Magnum

60
Q

The openings in cribiform plate is what bone?

A

Ethmoid bone

Head & Neck Anatomy (2 decks)

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