Anatomical study of the nutrient foramen of adult human Tibia

Abstract

The nutrient artery for tibia is one of the largest nutrient vessels in the body. It enters the tibia through its nutrient foramen located over its proximal third, on its posterior surface, runs through nutrient canal and then enters the medullary cavity in the middle third of tibia. The aim of the present study was to determine the location, number and position of the nutrient foramen of tibia. The study was conducted in the anatomy department of Government medical college, Ratlam, M.P. Dry; preserved adult tibia bones of unknown age and sex were randomly selected. 60 tibia bones were studied, out of which 31 were on the left side and 29 of the right side. The presence of nutrient foramen was observed macroscopically and confirmed by passing a 24 gauge needle tip through it. Then, its number, location, position and direction were noted. Single nutrient foramen with downward directed nutrient canal was observed in all but one bone (one case of each exception). The foramen was present on the posterior surface in 93% of cases, and on the upper third of the bone in 98% of cases.