Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology
Published on: August 22, 2022
Arcuate Foramen: Anatomy, Embryology, Nomenclature, Pathology, and Surgical Considerations
Jay Ahn1, Melissa Duran1, Samantha Syldort1
1The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.
Background:
The arcuate foramen is an anatomic variant that is thought to arise from ossification of the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane. Owing to potential entrapment of the vertebral artery segment that traverses the foramen, vertebrobasilar ischemia may occur, and the person may experience vertigo, headache, or neck pain.
Methods:
We reviewed the literature regarding anatomy (both human and comparative), embryology, nomenclature, pathology, and surgery of the arcuate foramen.
Results:
Surgically, the presence of an arcuate foramen is important when placing screws into lateral masses of the atlas. In these cases, the screws can damage the V3 segment of the vertebral artery and/or the suboccipital nerve.
Conclusions:
It is important to review the current literature on the arcuate foramen to further understand its morphology and clinical relevance.
More Related Videos
09:32Network Analysis of Foramen Ovale Electrode Recordings in Drug-resistant Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Patients
Published on: December 18, 2016
13:56Robot Assisted Distal Pancreatectomy with Celiac Axis Resection DP-CAR for Pancreatic Cancer: Surgical Planning and Technique
Published on: August 14, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Molecular Compounds: Formulas and Nomenclature
Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature
Ionic Compounds: Formulas and Nomenclature
Drug Nomenclature
Nomenclature of Alkenes
As per the IUPAC rules, the longest carbon chain containing the maximum number of double bonds is identified as the parent chain and is numbered such that the doubly bonded carbon atoms receive the lowest possible numbers. The location of the double bond is indicated by the number of its first carbon atom. In branched...
Design Consideration
The factor of safety is another key...