Morphometry of the Foramen Ovale in Adult Human Skulls from a Clinical Perspective.

Introduction: The foramen ovale (FO) is present in the posterior part of the greater wing of sphenoid. A trauma or space-occupying lesion in this area would result in clinical manifestations due to compression of the structures passing through it. This study was undertaken because of the clinical significance of the FO in radiological and neurological procedures. The aim is to study the morphometry of the FO and its bilateral variations.

Material and methods: Fifty adult dry human skulls of unknown age and sex were studied. The shape of the FO, presence of accessory foramina or abnormal bony outgrowths, if any, were noted. Maximum length and width of FO were measured.

Results: The FO was present bilaterally in all 50 skulls. Accessory foramen was present in 17 (34%) and 13 (26%) skulls on the right and left side, respectively. Bony out growths were present in 9 (18%) and 15 (30%) skulls on the right and the left side, respectively.

Conclusion: Understanding the exact topography, morphometry and variations of the FO is required to enable the clinician to correctly interpret radiographs and help in planning the surgical procedures. The findings presented here should be taken into account when neurological procedures of the middle cranial fossa are performed.