The epicranial aponeurosis, or galea aponeurotica, is a broad sheet of tough fibrous tissue that covers the top of the skull and links the frontal and occipital bellies of occipitofrontalis. It forms the third layer of the scalp and is firmly bound to the skin above but separated from the skull below by loose tissue.
| Location | Over the vault of the skull, as the third layer of the scalp. |
|---|---|
| Boundaries |
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Acts as the central tendon of occipitofrontalis, allowing it to move the scalp and raise the eyebrows.
A cut through the galea gapes widely because the muscle bellies pull it apart, so scalp wounds that reach it need repair in layers. Lacerations superficial to it bleed freely because vessels are held open by the dense tissue. The galea is often used in neurosurgery as a flap for closing dural defects.
A scalp wound that divides the galea opens widely and bleeds heavily because the frontalis and occipitalis pull its edges apart.
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