| 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.
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.
 Horizontal section of nasal and orbital cavities. |
 Coronal section of right temporal bone. |
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.
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