The butterfly bone
Sphenoid bone · os sphenoidale
A butterfly-shaped bone in the middle of the skull's base that touches almost every other skull bone.
What it does
The sphenoid bone stretches across the base of the skull behind the eyes. Its centre has a little saddle-shaped hollow that cradles the pituitary gland. Its wings form parts of the eye sockets and temples, and holes through it carry nerves and vessels to the eyes and face.
Surprising fact
The pituitary gland sits in a hollow of the sphenoid called the sella turcica, Latin for "Turkish saddle".
Why it matters
Surgeons can reach the pituitary gland through the nose by passing through the air sinus inside the sphenoid bone, avoiding the need to open the skull.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.