ABSTRACT
Background: The knowledge of variations in the position of nutrient foramina and hence nutrient arteries isimportant for orthopedicians and radiologists for various procedures.Introduction: The major blood supply to long bones occurs through the nutrient arteries, which enter through theforamina called nutrient foramina. The blood supply from nutrient artery is essential during the growing period,also during the early phases of ossification, and in procedures such as bone grafts, transplant techniques inorthopaedics. The present study analyzed the position and number of nutrient foramina in the diaphysis of fiftyadult femora.Aim: to determine the number, direction, position of nutrient foramen and whether the nutrient foramina obeythe general rule that is, directed away from the growing end of the boneMaterials and Method: The present study has been undertaken in Fifty dry adult femora of South Indian origin inthe Department of Anatomy, M.S Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore. The number, directions, position of nutrientforamen in femur were measured with a digital Vernier caliper. The data were tabulated as mean + SD andstatistically compared between the right and left sides.Results: A total of 75 foramina were examined in the 50 bones. 40 in Right sided femur and 35 in left sided femur.46% bones had single foramina and 52% bones had double foramina. Foramen was absent in 2% bones. Allnutrient foramina in the femur were directed proximally, away from the growing end. 16% of the foramina werelocated in the proximal third of the bone and the rest 84% were located in the middle third of the bone. There wasno significant difference in location of foramina between right and left sided bones.Conclusion: This study will provide the ethnic data for comparison among various populations. It is also helpfulin interpretation of radiological images and for orthopedic procedures. Precise knowledge of usual and anomalousposition of nutrient foramina and hence the nutrient artery may help the orthopaedician for the internal fixationat appropriate place in the long bone. The location of nutrient foramen is important for bone grafts, tumourresections, in traumas, congenital pseudoarthrosis and more recently in microsurgical vascularised bonetransplantation