The lateral aperture is a paired structure in human anatomy. It is an opening in each lateral extremity of the

lateral recess The lateral recess is a projection of the fourth ventricle which extends into, or rather below, the inferior cerebellar peduncle of the brainstem. The lateral aperture ( Foramen of Luschka), an opening in each extremity of the lateral recess, pro ...

of the

fourth ventricle The fourth ventricle is one of the four connected fluid-filled cavities within the human brain. These cavities, known collectively as the ventricular system, consist of the left and right lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, and the fourth ve ...

of the

human brain The human brain is the central organ of the human nervous system, and with the spinal cord makes up the central nervous system. The brain consists of the cerebrum, the brainstem and the cerebellum. It controls most of the activities of the ...

, which also has a single

median aperture In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fea ...

. The two lateral apertures provide a conduit for

cerebrospinal fluid Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless body fluid found within the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord of all vertebrates. CSF is produced by specialised ependymal cells in the choroid plexus of the ventricles of the bra ...

to flow from the brain's

ventricular system The ventricular system is a set of four interconnected cavities known as cerebral ventricles in the brain. Within each ventricle is a region of choroid plexus which produces the circulating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The ventricular system is con ...

into the

subarachnoid space In anatomy, the meninges (, ''singular:'' meninx ( or ), ) are the three membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord. In mammals, the meninges are the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater. Cerebrospinal fluid is located in th ...

; specifically into the pontocerebellar cistern at the

cerebellopontine angle The cerebellopontine angle (CPA) ( la, angulus cerebellopontinus) is located between the cerebellum and the pons. The cerebellopontine angle is the site of the cerebellopontine angle cistern one of the subarachnoid cisterns that contains cerebro ...

. The structure is also called the lateral aperture of the fourth ventricle or the foramen of Luschka after anatomist

Hubert von Luschka Hubert is a Germanic masculine given name, from ''hug'' "mind" and ''beraht'' "bright". It also occurs as a surname. Saint Hubertus or Hubert (c. 656 – 30 May 727) is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and metalworkers. ...

. Gross total resection of tumours that extend through foramen of Lushka is sometimes not possible due to

bradycardia Bradycardia (also sinus bradycardia) is a slow resting heart rate, commonly under 60 beats per minute (BPM) as determined by an electrocardiogram. It is considered to be a normal heart rate during sleep, in young and healthy or elderly adults, a ...

References

Ventricular system {{Neuroanatomy-stub