Search

Background: The foramen ovale is an oval opening in the greater wing of sphenoid bone transmitting the mandibular nerve as its major content. It serves as an important landmark for neurosurgeons in certain procedures as to gain access to trigeminal nerve. Therefore, its topographic position in relation to adjacent bony landmarks provides useful tool during these procedures. Aim: To analyse the morphometric measurements of the foramen ovale among South Indian population. Material and Methods: Morphometric analysis was carried out on 104 foramina ovalia of 52 dry human skulls from South India. Following dimensions of foramen ovale were measured: anteroposterior length, transverse width, distance (d1) from tubercle of root of zygoma to the centre of the foramen (CF) and distance (d2) from the midline of the base of the skull to CF. Results: The mean antero-posterior length was 7.0±2.17mm on right side and 6.8±1.40mm on left side, mean transverse width was 5.0±0.42mm and 4.70±0.91mm on right and left side respectively. Mean d1 was 32.58±1.72mm on right side and 32.75±1.76mm on left side. Mean d2 was 25.83±1.26mm on right side and 25.08±1.31mm on left side. Conclusion: Regional variations in the morphometric measures may be useful in neurosurgical procedures like administration of anaesthesia involving the mandibular nerve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testicular arteries arise from the abdominal aorta and the inferior suprarenal artery from the renal artery. There are reports about variant origin and course of these arteries. Accessory testicular artery is also a common finding but its providing origin to inferior suprarenal artery is an important observation. During a routine dissection of abdomen of approximately 55-year-old male cadaver, unique vascular abnormality was observed. On the left side, a common arterial trunk originating from abdominal aorta immediately branched to give rise to superior testicular and inferior suprarenal arteries, the former after a short course hooked by the left suprarenal vein. In addition, the left suprarenal vein, second left lumbar vein, and left testicular vein joined to form a common trunk which drained into the left renal vein. A sound knowledge of vascular variations in relation to the kidney and suprarenal gland is important to surgeons dissecting the abdominal cavity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Division of nerves close to their origin and muscular entrapments by nerves in the limbs is not very common. Femoral nerve is the largest branch of the lumbar plexus and arises from dorsal divisions of ventral rami of L2 to L4 spinal nerves. During routine cadaveric dissection for first year medical students at Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Karnataka, India, we observed a variation in the division and course of left femoral nerve in about 65-year-old male cadaver. The femoral nerve was split into two divisions above the inguinal ligament after its origin from the lumbar plexus. The lower division of the nerve passed deep to the iliopsoas muscle fibres and the upper division ran superficial to iliacus muscle deep to fascia iliaca. Both the divisions joined just above the inguinal ligament to form the trunk of the femoral nerve. Further course and distribution of the nerve was normal. The reports have shown that compression neuropathies of femoral nerve in the limbs are caused by neoplastic masses, vascular abnormalities and also by different anomalous muscles. Such neuropathies may also result from indirect compression of femoral nerve between the fibres of psoas major muscle and lateral pelvic wall. The potential clinical importance of above mentioned variations in the division of femoral nerve would emphasize the surgeons to diagnose the neuromuscular entrapments and consequent alterations of sensation in the anterior and medial aspects of the thigh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]