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Research Article

Morphometric study on occurrence of accessory foramina in S. Balamithra, Ganesh Lakshmanan, M. S. Thenmozhi*

ABSTRACT

Aim: This study aims to study the occurrence of accessory foramina in middle cranial fossa. Introduction: Greater wing of sphenoid has many foramina which connects , temporal fossa with middle cranial fossa. , , and foramen rotundum are constituent foramina in sphenoid . These foramina act as a gateway for neurovascular structures. The accessory foramina in middle cranial fossa are foramen Vesalius and foramen innominatum. Materials and Methods: 30 dry adult human from the Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Dental College were used for this study. The accessory foramina in the middle cranial fossa are seen. Foramen Vesalius found anteromedial to foramen ovale and lateral to foramen rotundum. Foramen innominatum found between the foramen ovale and foramen rotundum. Results: Foramen Vesalius is more in female and foramen innominatum is more in male skull. Foramen Vesalius found anteromedial to foramen ovale and lateral to foramen rotundum. Foramen innominatum found between foramen ovale and foramen rotundum. Conclusion: We can conclude that this foramen Vesalius is more in female skull than male skull and foramen innominatum is more in male skull than female skull.

KEY WORDS: Accessory foramina, Foramen innominatum, Foramen Vesalius, Middle cranial fossa

INTRODUCTION thrombosis form extracranial region which reaches the .[4] Although area of this foramina Interior skull is divided into three parts – anterior, is small, it maintains the blood circulation in venous middle, and posterior. Part present between the system of head. This foramen also called as emissary sphenoid and petrous part of is sphenoidal foramen, canaliculi sphenoidalis, and called middle cranial fossa. Middle cranial fossa is foramen venosum.[5] Foramen innominatum is a [1] localized for intracranial meningiomas. Greater rare foramina. It is present between the foramen wing of sphenoid has many foramina which connects ovale and foramen spinosum. It transmits lesser infratemporal fossa and temporal fossa with middle petrosal nerve and Vidian nerve or pterygoid nerve cranial fossa. Foramen ovale, foramen spinosum, takes a retrograde course and enters the foramen and foramen rotundum are constituent foramen in innominatum in petrosal region of temporal bone. .[2] These foramina act as a gateway for neurovascular structures. The accessory foramina in The nerve is small in proportion to size of foramina middle cranial fossa are foramen Vesalius and foramen innominatum. Variation in dimension, shape, and innominatum. Foramen Vesalius is an inconstant number of foramina is clinically important in view foramen of sphenoid bone that occurs anteromedial of delicate neurovascular structure that traverses to foramen ovale and lateral to foramen rotundum. them. Knowledge in variation in foramina can It gives passage to emissary vein that connects guide clinician toward a correct interpretation of pterygoid venous plexus with cavernous sinus that radiographs and would help in surgical approaches in communicates with extracranial vein and intracranial complicated middle cranial fossa region.[6] Foramen venous sinus.[3] If this passage gets infected, it causes rotundum is a round foramina in middle cranial fossa. It lies medially on upper surface of the greater wing Access this article online of sphenoid. Foramen ovale is one of the larger of the several holes. The foramen ovale is situated in Website: jprsolutions.info ISSN: 0975-7619 posterior part of sphenoid bone and posterolateral

Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

*Corresponding author: Mrs. M. S. Thenmozhi, Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai - 600 077, India. Mobile: +91-9884138681. E-mail: [email protected]

Received on: 10-10-2018; Revised on: 21-12-2018; Accepted on: 24-01-2019

Drug Invention Today | Vol 11 • Issue 5 • 2019 1033 S. Balamithra, et al.

Table 1: Occurrence of foramen Vesalius and foramen to foramen rotundum. The middle cranial fossa is a innominatum in male and female region where many nerves pass and lot of foramina. Sex Foramen Foramen Mandibular nerve, accessory meningeal nerve, and Vesalius innominatum lesser petrosal nerve (occasionally) pass through the [7] Right Left Right Left foramen ovale. passes through the foramen rotundum. Middle meningeal artery passes Male 3 5 14 12 Female 9 8 2 6 through foramina Vesalius. Vidian or pterygoid nerve passes through the foramen innominatum.[8]

MATERIALS AND METHODS This study mainly involved in investigating the accessory foramina in 30 dry skulls. The foramen that we found this study is foramina Vesalius [Figure 1] and foramina innominatum [Figure 2]. The skull is taken for this study under the Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Dental College. Foramen Vesalius found anteromedial to foramen ovale and lateral to foramen rotundum. Foramen innominatum found between the foramen ovale and foramen rotundum. The presence or absence of both foramina are noted and data in Excel sheet. Then, the data are graphed.

RESULTS Figure 1: Foramen innominatum The presence and absence of foramen Vesalius and foramen innominatum are tabulated below in [Table 1].

DISCUSSION From graph 1, foramen Vesalius in the right side of half dry skull is more in female half dry skull and comparatively less in male half dry skull and in the left side of half dry skull foramen Vesalius is more in female half dry skull and less in male half dry skull. Foramen innominatum in the right side of half dry skull is more in male half dry skull and comparatively less in female half dry skull and in the left side of half dry skull foramen innominatum is more in male half dry skull and less in female dry skull.

Foramen Vesalius is an inconstant foramen of sphenoid bone and it gives passage to emissary vein Figure 2: Foramen Vesalius that connects pterygoid venous plexus with cavernous sinus that communicates with extracranial vein and intracranial venous sinus.[10] If this passage is affected thrombosis in the extracranial region which reaches the cavernous sinus. Foramen innominatum is a rare foramen. It transmits lesser petrosal vein, Vidian nerve or pterygoid nerve takes a retrograde course and enters the foramen innominatum in petrosal region of temporal bone. The nerve is small in proportion to size of foramen innominatum.

CONCLUSION This study concludes that foramen Vesalius is more in Graph 1: Foramen vesalius and foramen innominatum in female skull than male skull and foramen innominatum male and female is more in male skull than female skull.

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