Anatomy

1. Head
2. Neck
3. Upper limb
4. Lower limb
5. Thorax
6. Back
7. Abdomen
8. Pelvis
1. Head

Areas of the head

I. Scalp
o Five layers
 Skin – hair and sebaceous glands
 Connective tissue (Dense) – vascular and innervated
 Aponeurosis – thin, tendon like structure connecting occipitalis and
frontalis muscles
 Loose connective tissue – vascular – emissary veins to dural venous
sinus’
 Clinical relevance – infection – loose connective tissue 
emissary veins  dural venous sinus’  meninges
 Periosteum – outer layer of skull bones

o Arterial supply – external carotid artery and ophthalmic artery (ICA branch)
 ECA branches – superficial temporal, posterior auricular, occipital
o Venous drainage  emissary veins  DVS
 Superficial – superifical temporal, posterior auricular, occipital,
supraorbital, supratrochlear
 Deep – pterygoid venous plexus – maxillary v
o Nerve supply
 CN V – V1 (supratrochlear, supraorbital) /V2 (zygomaticotemporal)
/V3 (auriculotemporal)
 Cervical n
 C2 - Greater and Lesser occipital
 C2/3 – Great auricular
 C3

II. Cranial fossae

 Anterior – frontal lobes
 Frontal bone
 Ethmoid bone - Crista galli and cribiform plate
o Small foramina transmit CN I into nasal cavity
o Large foramina – anterior and posterior – transmit
anterior and posterior ethmoidal a, n & v
o Clinical relevance – cribiform plate thin and most likely
to # - anosmia and CSF rhinorrhoea
 Sphenoid bone - lesser wing – anterior clinoid process’ –
tentorium cerebelli attachment

 Middle – pituitary gland centrally and temporal lobes laterally

 Sphenoid bone
o Centrally – sella turcica – saddle for pituitary gland.
Posterior clinoid process back of sella turcica –
tentorium cerebelli attachment
 o Foramina
 Optic canals – CN II and ophthalmic a.
 Sup orbital fissure into orbit – CN III, IV, V1, VI,
ophthalmic v
 Foramen rotundum into pterygopalatine fossa
– V2
 Foramen ovale into infratemporal fossa -
mandibular branch of V3 and accessory
meningeal a.
 Foramen spinosum into infratemporal fossa –
middle meningeal a and v and meningeal
branch of V3
 Temporal bone
o Foramina
 Hiatus of greater petrosal n. – Greater petrosal
n (VII branch)
 Hiatus of lesser petrosal n. – Lesser petrosal n
(IX branch)
 Carotid canal – ICA

 Junction between Middle and Posterior fossae
 Foramen lacerum

 Posterior – Brainstem (M, P & MO) and cerebellum

 Temporal bone
o Foramina
 Internal acoustic meatus – CN VII, VIII
 Occipital bone
o Foramina
 Jugular foramina – CN IX, X, XI, IJV
 Hypoglossal canal – CN XII
 Foramen Magnum – Medulla, Spinal arteries
 Clinical relevance – Coning – cerebellar tonsillar herniation
through foramen magnum secondary to raised ICP – causing
compression of pons and medulla (cardiorespiratory centres –
death from CR arrest)

III. Infratemporal fossa – conduit for NV structures from foramen ovale/spinosum

o Base of skull, medial to ramus of mandible, lateral to pterygoid plate
o Contents
 Lat and Med Pterygoids
 V3, Chorda tympani (VII), Otic ganglion (parotid gland supply)
 Maxillary artery/vein, pterygoid venous plexus

IV. Pterygopalatine fossa – from infratemporal fossa to sphenopalatine foramen

o Borders formed by palatine, maxilla and sphenoid bones
o Foramen rotundum – connects pterygopalatine fossa to middle cranial fossa
– V2
o Pterygomaxillary fissure – transmits post sup alveolar nerve and terminal part
of maxillary artery

o Contents
 V2
 Enters through F.rotundum

 Branches –
o Infraorbital – through infraorbital canal then
infraorbital foramen – sensation to V2 region face
o Zygomatic – through inferior orbital fissure with
infraorbital a & v
o Nasopalatine – through sphenopalatine foramen with
sphenopalatine a & v
o Pharyngeal – through pharyngeal canal
o Greater/lesser palatine nerves – through greater
palatine canal with descending palatine a& v

 Communicates with pterygopalatine ganglion via

pterygopalatine nerves
o Parasympathetic ganglion – innervated by g.petrosal
nerve (VII) – lacrimal gland, mucosal glands in
nose/mouth

 Maxillary artery
 Branch of ECA
 Branches – infraorbital, sphenopalatine, pharyngeal,
descending palatine, post sup alveolar artery