Morphology and topography of the parietal emissary foramina in South Indians: an anatomical study.

The objectives of the present study were to study the prevalence of the parietal emissary vein in adult South Indian population and to study the distance of foramen from the sagittal suture. There were 58 adult human skulls in the present study which were available at the anatomy department of our institution. The study included 116 parietal bones which have been observed macroscopically for the number, prevalence and topography of the emissary foramen. The emissary foramen was present in 83 parietal bones (71.5%) of the present study. It was present at the junction between the middle 1/3 and posterior 1/3 region of the parietal bone. The foramen was observed solitary in 73 parietal bones (62.9%), double in 8 bones (6.9%), and triple in 2 parietal bones (1.7%). The foramen was not observed in 33 parietal bones (28.4%). The bilateral absence of parietal emissary foramen was seen in 7 skulls (12.1%). It was absent unilaterally in 19 skulls (32.7%). The accessory foramina were seen in only 8 skulls (13.8%). The mean distance of the foramen from the sagittal suture was 6.7±2.9 mm and 6.8±2.8 mm on the right and left sides respectively. The prevalence of parietal emissary vein in the present study was 71.5%. The present study has observed important data about the morphology and morphometry of the parietal emissary vein in South Indian population. The identification of parietal emissary veins and accessory veins is important in the operation room to prevent the blood loss.

Morphological analysis and morphometry of the foramen magnum: an anatomical investigation.

AIM: The objectives were to study the morphology of the foramen magnum in dry skulls and to evaluate its antero-posterior diameter, transverse diameter and the foramen magnum index. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The foramen magna of 53 dry human cadaver skulls that were obtained from the neuroanatomy laboratory were examined. Different shapes of the foramen magnum were macroscopically noted and classified. The antero-posterior and transverse diameters were measured and the average foraminal index was calculated. RESULTS: The foramen magnum shapes were determined as a round shape in 22.6% of cases, egg shape in 18.9%, tetragonal in 18.9%, oval in 15.1%, irregular in 15.1%, hexagonal in 5.6% and pentagonal in 3.8% of the cases. In 20.7% of skulls, the occipital condyle was observed to protrude into the foramen. The mean antero-posterior and transverse diameter of the foramen magnum was determined as 31 ± 2.4 mm and 25.2 ± 2.4 mm respectively. The average foramen magnum index was 1.2 ± 0.1. CONCLUSION: The present study has determined the various shapes of foramen magnum and its morphometry. The data obtained may be of useful to the neurosurgeon in analyzing the morphological anatomy of craniovertebral junction. The findings are also enlightening for the anthropologists, morphologists and clinical anatomists.

Median frontal sutures - incidence, morphology and their surgical, radiological importance.

AIM: To determine the incidence of metopic suture in Indian human adult skulls and to study their morphology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 81 human adult dry skulls which were obtained from the neuroanatomy laboratory of our institution. The skulls were macroscopically inspected at the norma frontalis for the presence of the metopic suture and the sutures were morphologically analyzed. The sutures were classified as complete and incomplete types. The incomplete ones included linear type, 'V' shape and double type. RESULTS: From our observations, the metopic suture was present in 52 (64.1%) cases. The complete metopic suture was seen in only 1 skull (1.2%). The majority of the metopics were of incomplete type, 51 (62.9%). Among the incomplete ones, 18 (22.2%) were linear, 17 (21%) were 'V' shaped and 16 were double metopics (19.7%). No metopic sutures were associated with the Wormian bones. CONCLUSION: The morphological knowledge of the metopic suture is important for the radiologists and neurosurgeons in day to day practice. While reading the X-ray / CT and MRI films, the possibility of the metopic suture should be kept in mind. This will prevent confusion and a wrong diagnosis in emergency situations.

Morphometric study of the humerus segments in Indian population / Estudio morfométrico de los segmentos del húmero en población india

The aim of the present study was to obtain the measurements of the different humerus segments and to estimate the length of humeri from them. For this purpose 100 (51 left and 49 right) sex-aggregated, adult dry humerus from Indian population, were taken to analyze the morphometric details of the humerus segments. The distance between five different segments viz: most proximal point of the humeral head and greater tuberosity (HA), head of the humerus and surgical neck of humerus (HB), proximal and distal point of olecranon fossa (HC), the distal point of olecranon fossa and trochlea of humerus (HD), proximal point of olecranon fossa and distal point of trochlea of humerus (HE) and finally the maximum length of humerus (HL) were obtained by means of an osteometrical board and an analogical caliper. Simples linear regressions (p < 0.01) were made to correlate each segment with the total length of the humerus. Positive results were obtained in segments HB and HE of right humerus. Regressions formulae were obtained to define these estimative. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that length of the humerus can be estimated from measures of different segments of humerus and this study helps in forensic, anatomic and archeological cases in order to identify unknown bodies and to determine stature of the individual and as well as for the orthopedic surgeons for the treatment of proximal and distal humerus fractures and for their reconstruction.

El objetivo del estudio fue obtener las medidas de diferentes segmentos del húmero y calcular la longitud del húmero a partir de ellos. Fueron seleccionados 100 (51 izquierdos y 49 derechos) húmeros adultos secos, separados por sexo, de población india para analizar los detalles morfométricos de los segmentos dle hueso. La distancia entre cinco segmentos diferentes fueron establecidos: punto más proximal de la cabeza humeral y la tuberosidad mayor (HA), cabeza del húmero y cuello quirúrgico del húmero (HB), punto proximal y distal de la fosa olecraneana (HC), punto distal de la fosa olecraneana y la tróclea del húmero (HD), punto proximal de la fosa olecraneana y punto distal de la tróclea del húmero (HE) y, finalmente, la longitud máxima del húmero (HL) medidas obtenidas por medio de una tabla osteométrica y un caliper análogo. Se realizaron regresiones lineales simples para correlacionar cada segmento con la longitud total del húmero. Se obtuvieron resultados positivos en los segmentos de HB y HE de húmero derecho. Fórmulas de regresión se obtuvieron para definir estimativos. En conclusión, nuestro estudio demostró que la longitud del húmero puede estimarse a partir de las medidas de los diferentes segmentos del hueso, ayudando en casos forenses, anatómicos y arqueológicos con el fin de identificar cuerpos desconocidos o para determinar la estatura de la persona, así como a cirujanos ortopédicos para el tratamiento de las fracturas proximales y distales del húmero o para su reconstrucción.

Aortic aneurysm: a case report with emphasize on microscopic and surgical anatomy.

We report a case of fusiform type of abdominal aortic aneurysm which was found during the routine dissection of a cadaver, done for teaching the undergraduate medical students. The aneurysm was seen unruptured and positioned below the renal arteries, just above the aortic bifurcation. This study illustrates the microscopic and surgical anatomy of the aneurysm with added literature review and clinical implications. We believe that the knowledge of this vascular pathology will be enlightening for broad specialties of medicine and medical science researchers alike.

Morphological investigation of cranial sutures in Indian human adult skulls.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of the study was to evaluate the gross morphology of the coronal, sagittal and lambdoid sutures in human adult dried skulls and to determine if any difference exists in terms of patency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 78 human dry skulls of Indian population. The coronal, sagittal and lambdoid sutures were analyzed using the modified grading scale (Sabini RC and Elkowitz DE, 2006) for quantifying the sutural patency. An open suture was graded as 0, a fused suture as 1 and an obliterated suture as 2, 3 or 4, depending on the extent of obliteration. RESULTS: In coronal suture, the grade 1 suture was seen in 3.9%, grade 2 in 55.1%, grade 3 in 33.3%, and grade 4 in 7.7% of the cases. The sagittal sutures had grade 1 in 2.6%, grade 2 in 46.1%, grade 3 in 37.2%, and grade 4 in 14.1% of the cases. In contrast, the lambdoid suture showed 23.1% grade 1, 55.1% grade 2, 16.7% grade 3, and 5.1% grade 4 sutures. The grade 0 suture morphology was not observed in any of the skulls. CONCLUSIONS: When compared with the coronal and sagittal sutures, the lambdoid suture was more likely to be patent. The prolonged patency of the lambdoid suture may be due to external forces acting on it. The greater number of muscles acting on the lambdoid suture compared to coronal and sagittal sutures may be considered as the cause. We believe that, these findings may be helpful to the researchers who are interested in biomedical science and osteopathic manipulative medicine. The findings are also enlightening for the neuroscientists, morphologists, anthropologists and clinicians.

A morphometric study of foramen ovale.

AIM: To note the morphological variations and morphometric details of foramina ovale in dry adult skulls of Indian origin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 82 dry adult human skulls of unknown sex and of Indian origin were obtained and variations in appearance and number of foramen ovale were noted. The length and width of the foramina ovale of both sides were determined using digital Vernier calipers and area (A) was also calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 82 adult skulls, the values for the right side was 7.64 ± 1.194 mm, 5.128 ± 0.827 mm and 30.808 ± 7.545 mm2 and for the left side the values was 7.561 ± 1.123 mm, 5.244 ± 0.950 mm and 31.310 ± 8.262 mm2 respectively, for the mean length, width and area of the foramen ovale. The shape of foramen was typically ovale in most of the skulls (56.70%) with some bony variations such as spine, tubercles etc. CONCLUSION: There was no statistically significant difference between the two sides in length, width and area of foramen ovale and there was a positive correlation between lengths and areas of both sides.