Great! Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know! And please do let your friends and colleagues know if you think they'll be of use to them too. If it's useful to you, we'll also be putting updates of videos and other resources on our Facebook Page (The Anatomy Room). Thanks again, Sean.
Hi Manoj, strictly speaking NOTHING passes through the foramen lacerum. It is sealed by a membrane in the life. Structures like the internal carotid artery and the parasympathetic pre ganglionic fibres(nerve to lacrimal gland) of facial nerve pass on top of this membrane. In the case of the internal carotid artery it then takes off superiority to go and join the circle of Willis but the parasympathetic pre ganglionic fibres will pierce through the bone on the anterior aspect of foramen lacerum
@Khairina Khairuddin Hi Khairina, the greater petrosal nerve joins with the deep petrosal nerve to form the nerve of the pterygoid canal, travelling through foremen lacerum. At this point the greater petrosal nerve is carrying parasympathetic fibres to local blood vessels, salivary glands and the lacrimal gland. Hope this helps, Sean.
to head to the pterygopalatine ganglion and then onto the lacrimal gland. On a good plastic skull you may be able to see this hole with the naked eye. otherwise you may need to find a real skull to see it. The confusion arises because the foramen lacerum does not lie in the horizontal plane. Instead it lies at an angle which means as these structures skim the surface of it they cross the bony margin slightly which leads some authors claiming that these structures pass through it.
Sir i have learned that parasympathetic pre ganglionic fibers(nerve to lacrimal gland) of facial nerve passes through foramen lacerum but you have mentioned nothing passes through it?
