Abnormal bone outgrowths and osseous structures around the foramen ovale may leads to mandibular compression or entrapment neuropathy

Abstract

Foramina ovale is an important opening on the infratemporal surface of the posterior part of the greater wing of the sphenoid bone, any bone outgrowths and osseous structures around it could influence the anatomical organisation of the nerves and vessels that run through this opening. Accordingly the present study was designed to find out the bony outgrowths and osseous structures around the foramen ovale in available dried adult human skulls. The study was carried out using 100 dried adult human skulls irrespective of sex were obtained from the Department of Anatomy-Santhiram Medical College Nandyal, Department of Anatomy-Melaka Manipal Medical College (MMMC)-Manipal and Department of Anatomy- Viswabharati Medical College Kurnool. Among 100 dry adult skulls studied, sixty one (61%) of the skulls had neither any abnormal bony outgrowths nor osseous structures around the foramen ovale. Abnormal bone outgrowths in 22 skulls (22%) and osseous structures in seventeen skulls (17%) around the foramen ovale were noted. Anatomical knowledge of such abnormal bone outgrowths and osseous structures around the foramen ovale is important for neurosurgical procedures involving the percutaneous trigeminal rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia, transfacial fine needle aspiration technique in perineural spread of tumour and electroencephalographic analysis for seizure.