| Bone: Carotid canal | |
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| Left temporal bone. Inferior surface. ("Opening of carotid canal" labeled at center left.) | |
| Latin | canalis caroticus |
| Gray's | subject #34 143 |
On the interior surface of the temporal bone, behind the rough surface of the apex, is the large circular aperture of the carotid canal, which ascends at first vertically, and then, making a bend, runs horizontally forward and medialward.
Contents
It transmits into the cranium the internal carotid artery, and the carotid plexus of nerves.
Sympathetics to the head also pass through the carotid canal. They have several motor functions: raise the eyelid (superior tarsal muscle), dilate pupil, innervate sweat glands of face and scalp and constricts blood vessels in head.
Additional images
 Horizontal section of nasal and orbital cavities. |
 Coronal section of right temporal bone. |
External links
- Atlas of anatomy at UMich n3a8p1
- Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 34257.000-1
- Photo at Winona.edu
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated.
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