The sphenoid bone is one of the eight bones that make up the cranium - the superior aspect of the skull that encloses and protects the brain. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The sphenoid bone of humans is homologous with a number of bones that are often separate in other animals, and have a somewhat complex arrangement. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Each medial pterygoid plate (except its hamulus) is ossified in membrane, and its center probably appears about the ninth or tenth week; the hamulus becomes chondrified during the third month, and almost at once ossifies (Fawcett). Its shape somewhat resembles that of a butterfly or bat with its wings extended. – The Sphenoid bone (os sphenoidale; Gr., sphen – wedge + eidos – form) is a butterfly-shaped cranial bone that is located in the middle of the skull between the frontal and temporal bones.. Sphenoid bone primarily consists of a centrally positioned body, which surrounds and protects the pituitary gland, and two sets of lateral, wing-like extensions called the greater and lesser wings. Where is the Sphenoid Bone located? Fig 1 – The position of the sphenoid bone (yellow) within the facial skeleton. It sits anteriorly in the cranium, and contributes to the middle cranial fossa , the lateral wall of the skull, and the floor and sides of both orbits. Living amphibians have a relatively simplified skull in this region; a broad parasphenoid forms the floor of the braincase, the pterygoids are relatively small, and all other related bones except the sphenethmoid are absent. Summary. These cookies do not store any personal information. To access the TeachMeAnatomy 3D Model, you must be a premium subscriber. Last Modified Date: December 12, 2020 The bat-shaped sphenoid bone sits at the base of the skull, with the wings comprising part of the bony orbit or eye socket on each side. A spongy, lightweight cube-shaped bone, it contributes to the paranasal sinuses and presents with characteristic channels and grooves. It also forms the lateral border of the optic canal - through which the optic nerve and ophthalmic artery travel to reach the eye. It consists of a body, paired greater wings and lesser wings, and two pterygoid processes. The greater part of the bone is ossified in cartilage. The find out more about our cookies, click here. The sphenoid bone is the most complex bone of the human body.Because of its shape, it is also known as the "wasp bone". The configuration of the sphenoid bone led to confusion regarding its sutures with the other skull bones, its shape, its detailed anatomy, and the vascular and nervous structures that cross it. This is the Sphenoid Bone. The vein and cavity run between the large bone at the base of the skull (sphenoid bone) and temporal bone (near the temple). Only the end of the wing of the sphenoid bone is visible, Thieme Atlas of Anatomy, Head and Neuroanatomy 2011, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sphenoid_bone&oldid=987224635, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, the pterygospinous, stretching between the, the interclinoid, a fibrous process joining the, and the caroticoclinoid, connecting the anterior to the, Inferior surface forming upper boundary of. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Animation. There are three foramina present in the greater wing - the foramen rotundum, foramen ovale and foramen spinosum. The sphenoid bone is located at the central skull base and is commonly considered the most complex bone in the human body. The sphenoidal sinuses are present as minute cavities at the time of birth (Onodi), but do not attain their full size until after puberty. The sphenoid bone (also sphenoidal bone, sphenoid, latin: os sphenoidale) is a single bone that lies in the base of the skull between the frontal, temporal and occipital bones. The greater wings of the sphenoid are two strong processes of bone, which arise from the sides of the body, and are curved upward, laterally, and backward; the posterior part of each projects as a triangular process that fits into the angle between the squamous and the petrous part of the temporal bone and presents at its apex a downward-directed process, the spine of sphenoid bone. The sphenoid bone (from the Greek sphenoeides, or "wedgelike") is situated at the base of the skull, in front of the temporal bone and basilar part of the occipital bone.The sphenoid bone is one of the seven bones whose articulation forms the orbit. The zygomatic is also referred to as malar bone or the cheekbone. This forms the floor of the middle cranial fossa. It presents (starting from the front): This is divided into (by infratemporal crest): This forms the posterior wall of the orbit There is a 'slit-like' gap between the lesser and greater wings of the sphenoid - the superior orbital fissure. The medial joins the lateral pterygoid plate about the sixth month. This bone assists with the formation of the base and the sides of the skull, and the floors and walls of the orbits. They conduct the maxillary nerve, mandibular nerve and middle meningeal vessels respectively. Apr 30, 2020 - Explore Maryambahreman's board "Sphenoid bone" on Pinterest. Which means that the […] It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. This page was last edited on 5 November 2020, at 18:21. Location/Articulation. Once you've finished editing, click 'Submit for Review', and your changes will be reviewed by our team before publishing on the site. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The sphenoid bone is a large, complex, unpaired bone forming the central parts of the anterior and central skull base. Its shape somewhat resembles that of a butterfly or bat with its wings extended. This way, we bought a new real-time three-dimensional insight of the sphenoid bone that could be useful for the teacher, the student and the surgeon. The sphenoid is labeled with yellow to the left of the picture, both in the orbit and behind the zygomatic process, This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 147 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918), Unpaired bone situated at the front middle of the skull in front of the temporal bone and basilar part of the occipital bone, Cranial Bones. Fig 3 – Bony landmarks of the sphenoid body. The sphenoid bone[note 1] is an unpaired bone of the neurocranium. It contains the sphenoidal sinuses, which are separated by a septum – meaning that the sphenoid body is essentially hollow. It consists of a body, paired greater wings and lesser wings, and two pterygoid processes. It forms the major boundary between the intra- and extracranial structures and is a conduit for several cranial nerves. One makes its appearance in each wing between the foramen rotundum and foramen ovale about the eighth week. By about the ninth week of fetal development an ossific center appears for each of the small wings (orbito-sphenoids) just lateral to the optic foramen; this is followed by the appearance of two nuclei in the presphenoid part of the body. The sphenoid bone rests in the central portion of the skull along its midline, separating the frontal bone (the forehead bone) from the occipital bone, a trapezoidal bone that makes up the lower back of the skull. It has articulations with twelve other bones: The sphenoid bone shares a close anatomical relationship with the pituitary gland. The ethmoid bone is located between the orbital bones of the eyes, at the top of the anterior cranial fossa. Above the pterygoids were the epipterygoid bones, which formed part of a flexible joint between the braincase and the palatal region, as well as extending a vertical bar of bone towards the roof of the skull. Aprender más. The sphenoid bone is wedged between several other bones in the front of the cranium. Only the parasphenoid appears to be entirely absent in mammals.[7]. The basisphenoid forms the posterior part of the base, while the pterygoid processes represent the pterygoid bones. Fig 2 – Foramina and bony landmarks of the sphenoid wings and pterygoid process. It makes up most of the middle part of the base of the skull and contributes to the floor of the middle cranial fossa of the skull.. location: the central body of the sphenoid bone anteroinferior to the sella turcica; blood supply: posterior ethmoidal and sphenopalatine arteries; innervation: posterior ethmoidal nerve and the orbital branch of the pterygopalatine ganglion Gross anatomy. The body lies at the centre of the sphenoid bone, and is almost completely cubical in shape. These can include the pituitary gland, optic nerve and internal carotid artery. By the twenty-fifth year the sphenoid and occipital are completely fused. For example, the scapula is influenced in its alignment and articulations by the humerus. sphenoid definition: 1. a bone in the lower part of the skull: 2. a bone in the lower part of the skull: . These are two triangular wings projecting laterally from anterosuperior part of the body. Its name is derived from the Greek ‘sphenoeides’, to mean wedge-shaped. The first ossific nuclei are those for the great wings (alisphenoids). Numerous structures pass through here to reach the bony orbit. It consists of a central part and two wing-like structures that extend sideways toward each side of the skull. Name of bone. The configuration of the sphenoid bone led to confusion regarding its sutures with the other skull bones, its shape, its detailed anatomy, and the vascular and nervous structures that cross it. The sphenoid bone is said to be 'butterfly-shaped'. These include Palatines Zygomatic, Temporals, Parietals, Occipital, Frontal, Ethmoid and Vomer Bones The palatines bone is found on the back side of the nasal passage connecting the pterygoid process and the maxilla. Indeed, the pituitary can be accessed surgically by passing instruments through the sphenoid bone and sinus. The sphenoid is a butterfly-shaped bone inside the skull. Is our article missing some key information? Sphenoid bone is called the keystone of the cranial floor because it articulates with all the other cranial bones, holding them together. There are fourteen centers in all, six for the presphenoid and eight for the postsphenoid. The epipterygoids have extended into the wall of the cranium; they are referred to as alisphenoids when separate in mammals, and form the greater wings of the sphenoid when fused into a larger structure. [7], Aside from the loss of the flexible joint at the rear of the palate, this primitive pattern is broadly retained in reptiles, albeit with some individual modifications. Each end meets the outer surface of the skull in front of the left and right parietal bones and under the frontal bone. They conduct the maxillary nerve, mandibular nerve and middle meningeal vessels respectively. Horizontal section of nasal and orbital cavities. For a long time, because of its location at the skull base level, the sphenoid bone was rather mysterious as it was too difficult for anatomists to reach and to elucidate its true configuration. The name is derived from the Greek word ‘sphenoeides’ which means wedge-like. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Medially, terminates in the anterior clinoid process. It is segregated into a middle part called the body, a pair of great wings and a pair of lesser wings. It is situated in the middle of the skull towards the front, in front of the basilar part of the occipital bone. In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the sphenoid bone – its location, structure, and clinical significance. The orbital plate and that part of the sphenoid, which is found in the temporal fossa, as well as the lateral pterygoid plate, are ossified in membrane (Fawcett). Found an error? It … See more ideas about Sphenoid bone, Anatomy bones, Skull anatomy. Cookies help us deliver the best experience to all our users. Articulates with ethmoid bone anteriorly and basilar part of occipital bone posteriorly. Seen from above (parietal bones are removed). It contains the sphenoidal sinuses, which are separated by a septum - meaning that the sphenoid body is essentially hollow. It is situated in the middle of the skull towards the front, in front of the basilar part of the occipital bone. Fig 4 – The transsphenoidal approach to pituitary surgery. The skull from the front. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. 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