MORPHOLOGICAL AND MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF FORAMEN MAGNUM IN DRIED HUMAN SKULL BONES OF NORTH-WEST INDIAN REGION

Abstract

Background: The Foramen Magnum is communication between vertebral canal and posterior cranial fossa and important landmark to key structures such as brain, spinal cord, vertebral arteries. Anatomical knowledge of the foramen magnum is significant for understanding the pathophysiology of various disorders of the craniovertebral junction as well as for planning surgical procedures. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 62 dry skulls of unknown gender obtained from the Department of Anatomy. The shape of foramen magnum was classified as oval, round, tetragonal, pentagonal, hexagonal and irregular in shape and measurements like anterio-posterior diameter and transverse diameter of foramen magnum were taken using the Digital Vernier sliding caliper. Results: In the present study most common shape was oval in 22 (35.48%) skulls, followed by Egg shape in 12 (19.35%) skulls and least common pentagonal shape in 1(1.61%) skulls. In our study the mean anteroposterior diameter was 34.17 mm. and mean transverse diameter was observed to be 28.86 mm. Conclusion: Results of our present study may help in neurosurgeons, orthopedicians, radiologist and anesthetist in North West indian population. KEY WORDS: foramen magnum, skull, transverse diameter, oval.