A study of nutrient foramina of the dry adult human femur bones

Dr Poornima B,Dr Angadi A V

doi:10.7439/ijbr.v6i6.2102

Abstract

The Femur bone is a highly vascular structure with unique features in its blood supply via numerous foramina located over its different segments, being named as vascular foramina. Among vascular foramina, nutrient foramen is an important one which gives way to the nutrient artery. Knowledge of vascular anatomy is helpful in early identification of vascular interruptions leading to osteonecrosis. The present study was undertaken on 100 dry adult human Femur bones of both sides, irrespective of sex. The bones were obtained from the Department of Anatomy, Shamanur Shivashankarappa Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Davangere, Karnataka, India. In the present study, among foramina of 100 dry adult human Femora, 62 Femora had single nutrient foramen, 37 had two nutrient foramina and 1 had three nutrient foramina. The medial lip of linea aspera of Femur depicted the presence of nutrient foramina in majority of bones suggesting the entry zone for nourishment of shaft by perforating arteries. Size of nutrient foramina were ranging from size ? 0.55 mm to size ? 1.27 mm. Direction of nutrient foramina of all the Femora were directed upwards. This study may help orthopaedic surgeons in planning the surgical treatment of fracture of Femur with a possible reduction in post-operative complications. Combined periosteal and medullary blood supply to the bone cortex helps to explain the success of intramedullary reaming of long bone fractures particularly in the weight bearing Femur.

Highlights

The Femur is the long bone of the thigh
3.1 Number/ density of nutrient foramina Among 100 Femora studied, 62 Femora had single nutrient foramen, 37 Femora had two nutrient foramina and 1 Femur had three nutrient foramina. 3.2 Location of nutrient foramina 78 nutrient foramina were located at the junction of upper and middle 1/3rd of the Femur i.e., 56.1%. 26 nutrient foramina were located at the junction of middle and lower 1/3rd of the Femur i.e., 18.7%. 32 nutrient foramina were located in middle half of the length of the Femur i.e., 23%
3 nutrient foramina were located in other locations of the Femur i.e., 2.2%. 3.3 Size of nutrient foramina 7.2 % [i.e., 10] of nutrient foramina were of size ≥ 1.27 mm. 64.7% [i.e., 90] of nutrient foramina were of size ≥ 0.90mm to < 1.27 mm. 16.5% [i.e., 23] of nutrient foramina were of size ≥ 0.71mm to < 0.90 mm. 11.5% [i.e., 16] of nutrient foramina were of size ≥ 0.55mm to < 0.71 mm. 3.1 Direction of nutrient foramina

Summary

Introduction

The Femur is the long bone of the thigh. Femur is the bone which is susceptible to the functional hormonal disturbances, aging process and physical traumas which account for its usual fractures and dislocations[1]. The arteries supplying this long bone pervade into it via numerous foramina located over its different segments, being named as vascular foramina. Among these vascular foramina, nutrient foramen is an important one which gives way to the nutrient artery. Knowledge of vascular anatomy is helpful in early identification of vascular interruptions leading to osteonecrosis[2]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion