Morphometric study of infra orbital foramen in dry adult skulls and its surgical relevance..

Author(s): Krishna Reddy D.*

Abstract

Infra orbital foramen (IOF) is an opening in the maxillary bone of skull located below the infra orbital margin (IOM) of the orbit. The study was conducted to determine the distance between infra orbital foramen and infra orbital margin, accessory infra orbital foramen in dry adult skulls with the aim of improving the efficiency in clinical situations such as maxillofacial surgeries and infra orbital nerve block. A total of one hundred dry human skulls were measured using vernier caliper by using sagittal and transverse measures. The general mean distance of IOF from IOM was 6.69+2.86mm (ranged from 3 to 11mm). The accessory IOFs were observed in 10.1% of the skulls (including both the sides). The knowledge of the distances from surgically encountered anatomic landmarks may be of assistance in locating these important maxillofacial neurologic structures during many procedures. This information may play an even more important role as new techniques for minimally invasive surgery are developed. Understanding the location of these foramina will also assist the clinician in performing local anesthetic blocks.

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