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The stylomastoid foramen is between the styloid and mastoid processes of the temporal bone. The average distance between the opening of the stylomastoid foramen and the styloid process is around 0.7 mm or 0.8 mm in adults, but may decrease to around 0.2 mm during aging.
The stylomastoid foramen transmits the facial nerve, and the stylomastoid artery. These 2 structures lie directly next to each other.
Clinical significance
Bell's palsy can result from inflammation of the facial nerve where it leaves the skull at the stylomastoid foramen. Patients with Bell's palsy appear with facial drooping on the affected side.
Additional images
Facial canal
Lateral head anatomy detail. Facial nerve dissection.
Base of skull. Inferior surface. Pink region is temporal bone, and stylomastoid foramen is in black circle at center of pink region.
Left temporal bone. Inferior surface. (Stylomastoid foramen is third label from the bottom on the left.)
Facial canal
Lateral head anatomy detail. Facial nerve dissection.
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 144 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
