Protuberantia Occipitalis Interna: Structure, Function & Diseases

The protuberantia occipitalis interna is a part in the skull of the human body. It is associated with the occipital bone. It is a bony prominence called the protuberantia occipitalis interna.

What is the internal occipital protuberance?

The protuberantia occipitalis interna is called the internal occipital protuberance. It is a small part of the human bone structure. This is located in the human skull, which is called the cranium. The protuberantia occipitalis interna is counted as part of the occipital bone. This is called the os occipitale. The protuberantia occipitalis interna is a projection of the bone. It is located on the side of the occipital bone that faces into the skull. The protuberantia occipitalis interna forms the midpoint of the eminentia cruciformis. When the occipital bone is viewed from the inside, a cruciform structure is visible. Nerves and veins can pass through it. The protuberantia occipitalis interna represents the center of the cruciform structure, which is also called the relief. The protuberantia occipitalis interna is located opposite the protuberantia occipitalis externa. This is a bony prominence that faces outward. When touching the skin at the back of the head, the protuberantia occipitalis externa can be palpated. Planum occipitale and planum nuchale. The planum nuchale is measured during pregnancy and used for sex determination of the unborn child.

Anatomy and structure

The protuberantia occipitalis interna is bony in shape. The structure of this bony prominence is analogous to that of the rest of the human bone. This is composed of 20% water. In addition, 25% of organic components such as bone cartilage, bone cells are contained in it. The remaining 55% of the bone is formed by inorganic bone components. This composition leads to the fact that the bone of the human body is of a high load capacity. The protuberantia occipitalis interna is oriented inward into the skull. As part of the occipital bone, it is located at the level of the back of the head on the opposite side of the protuberantia occipitalis externa. Inside the skull, the protuberantia occipitalis interna is adjacent to the falx cerebri. The falx cerebri is a membrane. This is pushed by the dura mater between the upper sections of the cerebral hemispheres. The right and left hemispheres of the brain are called hemispheres, and they perform different tasks in processing stimuli from each sensory system. The dura mater is a hard meninges that wraps around the brain for protection and separates it from the skull.

Function and tasks

As a projection of bone, the function of the protuberantia occipitalis interna is to stabilize the surrounding structures of the skull. These include the bone structures, but equally vessels that run along it. The bone structures include in particular the occipital bone. This forms the entire back of the head in one piece and has small openings for veins and vessels. The area of the protuberantia occipitalis interna is used as a means of branching for nerves or veins in the skull. The emissary occipital vein is one of them. Veins have a thin wall and are therefore particularly susceptible to tearing. The shape of the protuberantia occipitalis interna is oriented for this purpose. The protuberantia occipitalis interna forms the center of the eminentia cruciformis. This cruciform bone elevation is formed by the sulcus sinus sagittalis superioris and the sulcus sinus transversi. These are grooves in the vascular structure. The adjacent vessels include the superior sagittal sinus and the transverse sinus. Both are venous blood conduits that carry important messengers and nutrients to the brain.

Diseases

Because the internal occipital protuberance is located inside the skull and other bones precede it, damage to this single bone part is unlikely. The protuberantia occipitalis interna can be affected together with the surrounding areas. For example, in falls or accidents that cause damage to the occiput, the internal occipital protuberance may also be affected. A fracture to the skull can lead to pain in the face and jaw area. Bleeding, headache, and leakage of cerebrospinal fluid may occur. A sensation of pain in the skull may indicate nerve damage.They can radiate to the neck and shoulder area. As a result, there are movement problems in this region. The neck muscles stiffen. Headaches set in and the scalp is sensitive. In particularly bad cases, it can lead to pain when combing the hair at the back of the head. In addition, the neck can no longer bear the weight of the head without discomfort. The skull weighs about 1.5 to 2 kg and is mainly supported by muscles located in the back of the head and neck. The head may become crooked if the neck muscles no longer function adequately. In the area of the skull, the formation of skull base tumors can occur, as well as osteoporosis. In the case of a tumor, there is pain in the surrounding areas. In most cases, it must be surgically removed. Osteoporosis is a disease in which there is a weakening of the bone. This results in pain in the area of the neck and scalp. In severe cases, even a physical reaction such as coughing can be associated with severe pain. In addition, osteoporosis can cause bone fractures when the head is subjected to strong vibrations.