Morphometric Study Of The Greater Palatine Foramen In The Dried Bones Of Eastern India

Introduction: Greater palatine foramen is a very important landmark for administering anesthesia in maxillofacialand dental surgeries. Getting the anesthesia correct each time is a technical manoeuvre, which require sufficientamount of clinical skill and experience. The anatomical landmark has been described by many authors but asper the data in the eastern Indian population it is sparse. This study aims to define the greater palatine foramenaccording to various landmarks.Materials and Methods: One hundred and three skulls from two medical colleges of eastern India were studiedby the first and second authors separately and consecutively. All the skulls were examined for any broken partsin the hard palate and in the greater palatine foramen region. Only the skulls that were intact in these areas wereconsidered for the study.Result: The mean distance of the greater palatine foramen to the incisive foramen was 35.45mm in the males and34.82mm in the females. The average distance between the greater palatine foramen and the midline maxillarysuture was 13.22mm in the males and 12.98 mm in the females. In 85.92% cases we found the GPF to be oval inshape and it opened in to the oral cavity antero-medially in 58% of the cases. With respect to the molar teeth, in42.71% of the cases the greater palatine foramen was present opposite the anterior ½ of the 3rd molar.

Bilateral Variations in Median Nerve Formation with Embryological Basis and Clinical Correlation.

During routine dissection of upper limb of a 68 year old male cadaver bilateral variations in median nerve were observed. On the left side the lateral cord pierced coracobrachialis without giving the lateral root of median nerve and after coming out of coracobrachialis it bifurcated in to musculocutaneous nerve and lateral root of median nerve. The medial root of median nerve continued up to the middle of arm and joined the lateral root and formed the median nerve in the middle of arm instead of axilla. On the right side there were two lateral roots of the median nerve that joined the medial root to form the median nerve. The musculocutaneous nerve after piercing coracobrachialis gave a communicating branch to the median nerve in the lower part of front of arm. These variations can lead to unusual innervation and entrapment neuropathies. Identification of these variants are valuable during surgeries performed in and around axilla and flexor compartment of arm.

Bilateral variation in Branching of Axillary Artery.

Bilateral variations in the branching pattern of axillary artery were seen in a 78 year male cadaver during routine dissection. On the right side superior thoracic artery was a branch of second part of axillary artery. Additional pectoral branches were seen coming out of the second part on either side. Bilaterally from the second part a common trunk originated which gave rise to lateral thoracic and subscapular artery. On the left side an additional pectoral branch from the common trunk was present. From the third part on either side a muscular branch supplied the coracobrachialis muscle. On the right side from the third part of axillary artery a common trunk started and divided into anterior and posterior circumflex humeral arteries.