Anatoma del hueso temporal

1.- Squamous Bone

Above the level of the zygomatic process, the vertical portion of

the squamous bone extends upward to cover part of the
temporal lobe of the brain.
The zygomatic process is actually part of the squamous portion
of the bone.
o It originates anterior to the external auditory canal at the

level of the junction of the vertical and horizontal parts of

the squamous bone.
o The root of the zygomatic process shows an initial swelling
known as the posterior zygomatic tubercle.
o Traced anteriorly, the root thins out to form the glenoid
fossa for the articulation of the head of the mandible, and
then thickens again to form the anterior zygomatic
tubercle.
o Posterior to the external auditory canal, the zygomatic
process can be traced as a somewhat faint line, the
supramastoid crest, indicating the level of the middle
cranial fossa.

The squamous part of the temporal bone also forms the

superior parts of both the anterior and posterior walls of
the bony external auditory canal.
On the posterosuperior border of the canal, the spine of Henle
can be seen

2.- Tympanic Bone

The gutter-shaped tympanic bone forms the inferior wall and

major parts of the anterior and posterior walls of the
bony external auditory canal.

Two sutures between the elementary structures that form the

temporal bone appear in the canal:
o The tympanosquamous suture is located
anterosuperiorly
o The tympanomastoid suture posteroinferiorly.
The temporomandibular joint is located just anterior to the canal
and is separated from the canal only by a thin bony shell.
The lateral border of the tympanic bone is roughened for the
attachment of the cartilaginous part of the external auditory
canal, which forms the outer two-thirds of the canal.
The inferior edge of the tympanic bone expands to form the
vaginal process where the styloid process lies.

3.- Mastoid Process

The process serves as the anterior part of the attachment of the

sternocleidomastoid muscle. On its medial surface lies the
digastric groove, from which the posterior belly of the digastric
muscle originates.
On the posteromedial end of the groove, an impression of the
occipital artery can be seen.
The stylomastoid foramen, from which the main trunk of the
facial nerve exits the temporal bone, can be seen at the anterior
border of the digastric ridge posterior to the styloid process.
The temporal component of the jugular foramen can be seen
anteromedial to the stylomastoid foramen and medial to both the
tympanic bone and the styloid process.
From the lateral border of the foramen, the jugular spine of the
temporal bone can be seen extending into the foramen toward
its occipital counterpart and separating the foramen into the
what are known as the vascular and nervous compartments.
Through the fossa and at a more superior level, the dome of the
jugular bulb can be seen.
Posteriorly lies the small canal for the passage of Arnolds
nerve (the auricular branch of the vagus nerve), while anteriorly
the end of the groove of the in- ferior petrosal sinus can be
seen lateral and anterior to the opening of the cochlear
aqueduct.
The foramen of the internal carotid artery is separated from
the anterior border of the jugular foramen by a thin wedge of
bone called the jugulo- carotid spine, through which a canal
for the passage of Jacobsons nerve (the tympanic nerve) to
the tympanic cavity lies.

4.- Petrous Bone

The most prominent feature of the medial aspect of the temporal

bone is the petrous part.
Shaped like a pyramid, this part protrudes in an anteromedial
direction, with the base located laterally and formed by the
semicircular canals, vestibule, cochlea, and carotid artery.
The apex of this bone forms part of the anterior foramen
lacerum.
Through the apex, the internal carotid artery exits the petrous
bone to the anterior foramen lacerum, where it curves
superiorly on its way to the cavernous sinus. T
he end of the bony part of the eustachian tube, the isthmus, is
also located in the apex anterior to the carotid opening and just
medial to the spine of the sphenoid.
The superior surface of the petrous bone forms part of the
middle cranial fossa.
o It begins from the arcuate eminence and ends at the
foramen lacerum.
o The groove of the greater petrosal nerve can be seen
coursing close to the bone near the anterior border of this
surface; in 10 % of cases, the nerve can be traced
posteriorly into a dehiscent geniculate ganglion.
o The bisection of the angle formed by this groove and the
arcuate eminence marks the position of the internal
auditory canal.
o Near the foramen lacerum, the impression of Meckels
cavity can be seen.
o The posterior border of this surface is marked by the
groove for the superior petrosal sinus, which

separates the superior and posterior surfaces.

The posterior surface of the petrous bone forms part of the
posterior cranial fossa.
o The opening for endolymphatic duct and sac can be
seen at the lateral end of this surface. This opening
represents an important landmark for the posterior
semicircular canal in procedures using the retrosigmoid approach.
o The most important feature of the posterior surface is the
internal auditory meatus.
Forma piramidal cuadrangular con dos caras endocraneales
(superiores) y dos caras exocraneales (inferiores)

Cara anterosuperior o cerebral:

o Ancha hacia la base
o Eminencia arcuata (determinado por el conducto
semicircular superior)
o Por delante de la eminencia arcuata esta el Tegmen
Tympani
o Lo ms medial es la fosita de Gasser para el ganglio
trigmino (esta a 52
mm del CAE)
o Entre ambas estructuras, 2-3 orificios: El hiato de falopio y
sus accesorios. Para los nervios petrosos superficial mayor y
menor y los profundos mayor y menor.
Cara Posterosuperior o cerebelosa
o Canal del seno petroso inferior y CAI
o Orificio del CAI mide 6-10 mm
o Una cresta supraauditiva: la fosita subarcuata (esta por
encima y por fuera del CAI), en relacin a la eminencia
arquata: canal petromastoideo de Chatellier, atraviesa por
el camino del domo al canal semicircular superior
(remanente embrionario de unas comunicaciones de la
arteria cerebelar entre la fosa posterior y la zona del
peasco, se atrofia en el post nacimiento)
o Mas hacia lateral se encuentra la fosita ungueal (como una
impresin con el pulgar, forma una cresta por encima que
se llama el oprculo) con una hendidura para el acueducto
del vestbulo. Lo seo se llama acueducto y lo membranoso
son los conductos.
o Mas hacia lateral se encuentra el canal del seno lateral (su

porcin descendente)

Cara postero inferior:

o En relacin con la superficie mas exterior de la base de
crneo.
o En la zona ms externa:
Punta de la apfisis mastoidea.
La apfisis estiloides
El agujero estilo mastoideo (por detrs y por fuera de
la apfisis estiloidea). Esto es importante en la parte
quirrgica al abordar la partida, si llegan al
estiloides es por que pasaron de largo y el facial se
les qued atrs.
Por delante y por fuera otro pequeo orificio el
conducto posterior de la cuerda del tmpano.
La faceta yugular que se articula con la apfisis
yugular del occipital.
o En la zona media:
La fosa yugular para el golfo de la yugular interna
(estructura ms predominante)
En la pared externa pequeo orificio para el ramo
auricular del X par o ramo de la fosa yugular de
Cruveilhier.
o En la zona mas interna:
Orificio del conducto carotideo: cartida interna. Se
va a ver ms adelante hacia la punta, y antes se
denominaba agujero rasgado posterior.
Orificio del conducto cartico timpnico (vasos
cartico timpnica y filete simptico al nervio de
Jacobson)
En el angula del conducto carotideo y la fosa yugular
est el Conducto de Jacobson (rama del IX)
Por detrs del conducto carotideo: Fosita piramidal o
petrosa para el acueducto coclear o canal de
Cotugno.
Orificio anterior del conducto carotideo.