MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF ETHMOIDAL FORAMEN IN ADULT DRY INDIAN SKULL

Abstract

Ethmoid bone is located in the anterior part of the base of the cranium between the orbits. The medial orbital wall separates the content of the orbit from the ethmoidal air sinuses. The anatomical landmarks of orbital cavities are very much important during orbital surgeries which includes surgery of anterior cranial fossa and endonasal microsurgeries of ethmoidal region. On this medial orbital wall, the anterior and the posterior ethmoidal foramina are located along the frontoethmoidal suture and more anteriorly to the optic canal and these are very much important in orbital surgeries. This prospective observational study was undertaken to study the morphology of Ethmoidal foramen in adult dry Indian skull and to study the clinical implications of ethmoid foramen. A total 50 dry adult skulls were measured for the ethmoidal foramen. It was reported that the mean of posterior ethmoidal canal right and left was 2.09±0.75mm and 2.31±0.132mm respectively. The study concluded that to ensure the safety of surgical procedures to be performed among ethmoid foramen it is very important to measure the various landmarks; as the anatomical variations can cause problems and leads to surgery related complications.