Latin foramen mastoideum TA A02.1.06.008 | Dorlands/Elsevier f_12/12373281 FMA 53159 | |
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The mastoid foramen is a large hole in the posterior border of the temporal bone. It transmits a Mastoid emissary vein to the sigmoid sinus and a small branch of the occipital artery, the posterior meningeal artery to the dura mater.
Variations
The position and size of this foramen are very variable; it is not always present; sometimes it is situated in the occipital bone, or in the suture between the temporal and the occipital.
It transmits (1) an emissary vein connecting the sigmoid sinus with the posterior auricular vein and (2) a meningeal branch of the occipital artery
References
Mastoid foramen Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA