Condylar canal

The condylar canal (or condyloid canal) is a canal in the condyloid fossa of the lateral parts of occipital bone behind the occipital condyle. Resection of the rectus capitus 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, which is making 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, occipital sinus and sigmoid sinus.

It is not always present, and can have variations of being a single canal or multiple smaller canals in cluster.

Additional images

• Condylar canal.jpg

  Bilateral condylar canals (arrows) above the vertebral arteries. Dr. Victor Yang 2009

• Gray187.png

  Base of skull. Inferior surface.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• Anatomy diagram: 34257.000-2 at Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, Elsevier
• Akram Abood Jaffar: Personal website, Anatomical variations
• Slide at uiuc.edu