Condylar canal
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The condylar canal (or condyloid canal) is a canal in the condyloid fossa of the
lateral parts of occipital bone The lateral parts of the occipital bone (also called the exoccipitals) are situated at the sides of the foramen magnum; on their under surfaces are the condyles for articulation with the superior facets of the atlas. Description The condyles are o ...
behind the
occipital condyle The occipital condyles are undersurface protuberances of the occipital bone in vertebrates, which function in articulation with the superior facets of the atlas vertebra. The condyles are oval or reniform (kidney-shaped) in shape, and their anteri ...
. Resection of the rectus capitis posterior major and minor muscles reveals the bony recess leading to the condylar canal, which is situated posterior and lateral to the occipital condyle. It is immediately superior to the extradural
vertebral artery The vertebral arteries are major arteries of the neck. Typically, the vertebral arteries originate from the subclavian arteries. Each vessel courses superiorly along each side of the neck, merging within the skull to form the single, midline ba ...
, which makes a loop above the posterior C1 ring to enter the foramen magnum. The anteriomedial wall of the condylar canal thickens to join the foramen magnum rim and connect to the occipital condyle. Through the condylar canal, the occipital emissary vein connects to the venous system including the
suboccipital venous plexus The suboccipital venous plexus drains deoxygenated blood from the back of the head. It communicates with the external vertebral venous plexuses. The external vertebral venous plexuses travel inferiorly from this suboccipital region to drain into ...
,
occipital sinus The occipital sinus is the smallest of the dural venous sinuses. It is usually unpaired, and is sometimes altogether absent. It is situated in the attached margin of the falx cerebelli. It commences near the foramen magnum, and ends by draining in ...
and
sigmoid sinus The sigmoid sinuses (sigma- or s-shaped hollow curve), also known as the , are venous sinuses within the skull that receive blood from posterior dural venous sinus veins. Structure The sigmoid sinus is a dural venous sinus situated within the du ...
. It is not always present, and can have variations of being a single canal or multiple smaller canals in cluster.


Additional images

File:Condylar canal.jpg, Bilateral condylar canals (arrows) above the vertebral arteries. File:Gray187.png, Base of skull. Inferior surface.


References


External links

*
Akram Abood Jaffar: Personal website, Anatomical variations


Foramina of the skull {{musculoskeletal-stub