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The base of skull, also known as the cranial base or the cranial floor, is the most inferior area of the skull.
A basilar skull fracture is a break of a bone in the base of the skull. [1] Symptoms may include bruising behind the ears , bruising around the eyes , or blood behind the ear drum . [ 1 ] A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurs in about 20% of cases and may result in fluid leaking from the nose or ear . [ 1 ]
At the base of the skull in the occipital bone, there is a large oval opening called the foramen magnum, which allows the passage of the spinal cord. Like the other cranial bones, it is classed as a flat bone. Due to its many attachments and features, the occipital bone is described in terms of separate parts.
Image of base of the skull with several of the foramina labeled. The human skull has numerous openings , through which cranial nerves, arteries, veins, and other structures pass. These foramina vary in size and number, with age. [1] [2]
The occipital bun pointed out on a Neanderthal skull. The occipital bun is a protuberance of the occipital bone. Its size and shape has been compared to that of a dinner roll. It is a quintessential trait of Neanderthals, though it is a trend in archaic Homo species. The true purpose of the occipital bun has not yet been defined. [3]
The clivus (/ ˈ k l aɪ v ə s /, [1] Latin for "slope") or Blumenbach clivus is a part of the occipital bone at the base of the skull, [2] extending anteriorly from the foramen magnum. It is related to the pons and the abducens nerve (CN VI). The term is also used for the clivus ocularis, an unrelated feature of the retina.
Superior view of the skull base. Middle cranial fossa shown in green. 1: Sphenoidal limbus (anterior margin of the chiasmatic groove) 2: Posterior borders of the lesser wings of the sphenoid 3: Dorsum sellae of the sphenoid bone. 4: Superior borders of the petrous part of the temporal bone
The occipital ridge is the region at the back of the head where the base of the skull meets the spine. This general area is quite vulnerable, and as such, offensive maneuvers (esp. in martial arts) have been created to target the occipital ridge. If the area is hit with sufficient force, it will cause immediate blackout and potential spinal injury.