Jugular Foramen Contents

Mnemonic

“9, 10, 11 and the jugular”:

• IX - glossopharyngeal
• X - vagus
• XI - accessory
• The internal jugular vein, continuing the sigmoid sinus
• The inferior petrosal sinus, and meningeal branches

A lesion of all three nerves is Vernet’s syndrome (jugular foramen syndrome), giving loss of the gag reflex, dysphagia, hoarseness with a deviated uvula, and weakness of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius. Causes are glomus jugulare tumours, schwannomas, metastases and base of skull fractures.

The hypoglossal nerve is not here: it has its own hypoglossal canal, which is why tongue weakness points to a lesion beyond the jugular foramen.

Expansion

• Internal jugular vein
• CN IX - Glossopharyngeal
• CN X - Vagus
• CN XI - Accessory