An anatomical study on the foramen ovale and the foramen spinosum.

INTRODUCTION: An anatomical study was undertaken to note the shape of the foramen ovale(FO), foramen spinosum (FS) & presence or absence of canalis innominatus. FO is present in the posterior part of the greater wing of sphenoid. FS is located posterolareral to foramen ovale. Aims & Objective: We attempted this study to find out the variations in shape, bony growth & divisions of FO & FS in available dry human skulls.

MATERIAL & METHODS: We studied 100 human skulls available in the Department of Anatomy MVPS Medical College, Nashik. This study of FO & FS was done in both male & female skulls.

OBSERVATION & RESULTS: We found oval, round, almond, triangular shaped FO. Variations in the shape of FO showed the maximum as oval shaped followed by almond, round & slit like.

CONCLUSION: FO is of great surgical & diagnostic importance in procedures like percutaneous trigeminal rizotomy in trigeminal neuralgia, transfacial fine needle aspiration technique etc. Considering such clinical importance of FO & FS, this study was worthwhile as far as neurosurgeons are concerned.