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This study aimed to peruse anatomic features of the cranial aperture of the optic canal (CAOC) for obtaining an extended morphometric dataset in children. Computed tomography images of 200 children were included in this retrospective work to analyze the shape, location and diameters of the CAOC. The CAOC area, width and height were observed as 17.53 ± 2.80 mm2, 6.12 ± 0.84 mm, and 4.35 ± 0.64 mm, respectively. The angle of the optic canal in axial plane was found as 39.28 ± 5.13°, while in sagittal plane as 16.01 ± 6.76°. The distance between the CAOC and the midsagittal line was 7.17 ± 1.48 mm. The CAOC was measured as 54.04 ± 5.23 mm and 42.55 ± 3.28 mm away from the anterior and lateral boundary of the anterior skull base, respectively. The CAOC shape was described as the tear-drop (186 foramina, 46.5%), triangular (156 foramina, 39%), oval (47 foramina, 11.8%), and round (11 foramina, 2.8%). The depth, angle and diameter measurements belonging to the CAOC were changing according to its shape or demographic data (e.g., sex and age). Therefore, preoperative radiologic evaluation containing the shape, location and size of the CAOC should be considered by multidisciplinary operating teams in terms of surgical interventions such as implant positioning.

The work aimed to compare fetal and adult tympanic membrane (TM) sizes for understanding dimensional development from intrauterine life to adulthood. Fifty-six temporal bones (18 fetuses, 10 elderly adults, half male and half female in each group) were included in this study. Using a digital image software, the TM height, width and area were measured. The mean area, height and width of the TM in adults were found as 58.84 ± 22.01 mm2, 9.06 ± 1.33 mm, and 8.10 ± 1.43 mm, respectively. Moreover, the mean area, height and width of the TM in fetuses were measured as 47.62 ± 12.57 mm2, 8.22 ± 1.12 mm, and 7.25 ± 1.15 mm, respectively. The TM dimensions were increasing in fetuses between 20–32 weeks of gestation. However, the TM dimension was statistically similar at the 7th month, the 8th month and adult periods. The TM height was greater than its width in fetuses and adults. The calculated regression equations of the TM parameters in fetuses may be used to estimate its size. The TM size did not change from the 7th gestational month, and thus the membrane reached adult diameter in fetal life. The TM height and width showed a very wide range; therefore, we thought that the 12 mm (the height) × 10 mm (the width) graft might be ideal dimension during the repair of the TM perforations.

This retrospective computed tomography (CT) study was aimed to assess the growth dynamic of the external aperture of the carotid canal (EACC) in children aged between 1 and 20 years. Two hundred patients (sex 100 females/100 males, average age 10.50 ± 5.77 years) with good head CT image quality were included in this study. CT images of the patients were used to obtain data related to the location, shape and dimension of EACC. EACC shapes were identified as oval shaped, round shaped, and tear-drop shaped in 58.3% (233 sides), 24% (96 sides) and 17.8% (71 sides), respectively. EACC length, disEACC–MSP (distance between EACC and midsagittal plane), and EACC width did not change from the prepubescence period; while, the disEACC–SC (distance between EACC and supramastoid crest) seemed to reach adult size in the postpubescence period. Linear functions for EACC length and width were calculated as: y = 5.453 + 0.091 × years, and y = 5.398 + 0.059 × years, respectively. The regression equations of the measured parameters representing the growth dynamic of EACC in children can be helpful to estimate its size, location and angulation, which suggest that the dimension and distances to certain anatomical landmarks seemed to reach adult size in different developmental periods. In this context, the findings of this study may seem to emphasize the importance of preoperative radiological evaluation on skull base, related to EACC, for multidisciplinary surgeon teams during childhood surgeries in terms of patients’ positioning, and the selection of appropriate surgical approach.

The main aim of this retrospective computed tomography (CT) study was to examine the morphometric development of the geniculate ganglion (GG) in children aged between 1 and 18 years for surgical approaches. This study was placed on 41 patients (20 females and 21 males) including cochlear implantation cases aged from one to 18 (at mean, 6.44 ± 5.79) years. All the measurements belonging to the length, width and area of GG were performed with a CT scanner. The morphometric values of GG were not different in terms of sex or side, statistically (p > 0.05). The length (p = 0.155) of GG was not correlated with the increasing ages from one to 18 years; however, its area (p

The main objective of the study was to investigate the morphometric properties of the stapedial tendon (ST) for pediatric otosurgeons and anatomists. The present study was placed on 15 fetuses (8 females, 7 males) aged from 20 to 30 weeks of gestation (at mean, 24.27 ± 3.24 weeks) using the collection of the Anatomy Department of Medicine Faculty, Mersin University. All measurements were obtained with a digital image analysis software. In terms of male/female or right/left comparisons, no statistically significant difference was found in relation with the numerical data of ST. The surface area, length, and width of ST were detected as follows: 0.61 ± 0.15 mm2, 1.27 ± 0.30 mm, and 0.45 ± 0.08 mm, respectively. The absence of ST was observed in two fetuses with and without severe malformations. In another fetus with cleft lip and polydactyly, multiple abnormalities were bilaterally identified in the middle ear: (1) the absence of the incudostapedial joint and (2) the presence of an abnormal tissue attaching to the stapes. The abnormal tissue was determined to be irregular dense connective tissue using light microscope and electron microscope. Our findings showed that ST did not proportionally grow according to increasing gestational weeks. In the light of the numerical data, we thought that similar to stapes, ST attains the adult size in the fetal period. As ST anomalies may accompany severe malformations (e.g., cleft lip, polydactyly or syndactyly) that can be easily detected on observation by clinicians, we suggest that the detailed examination of middle ear in newborns should be taken into account for early diagnosis of conductive hearing loss to prevent any management delays.

The CHARGE syndrome characterized by coloboma, heart defects, atresia of the choanae, retarded growth, genitourinary hypoplasia, and ear anomalies is one of the rare syndromes. Although certain clinical issues (scapular winging, sloping shoulder, Sprengel's deformity, kyphosis and scoliosis) which could be related to abnormalities in musculoskeletal structures of the neck and shoulder have been identified in CHARGE syndrome, data on details of muscle anomalies seem to be quite limited in the literature. In this case report, bilateral multiple muscular abnormalities (agenesis of the trapezius, presence of the rhombo-atloid muscle, and presence of the bipartite rhomboid minor with superficial and deep parts) was presented in a fetus cadaver with atypical CHARGE syndrome to attract the attention of clinicians for definitive diagnoses and surgical reconstruction of the shoulders deformity such as scapular winging and Sprengel's deformity. By considering the previous studies, we propose that the absence of the trapezius, as well as the other muscle abnormalities around the neck and shoulder, should be revised as being a component of CHARGE syndrome.