Morphometric Analysis of the Supraorbital Foramen and Notch in the Population of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Objective. The aim of this study was to learn about the morphological characteristics of the supraorbital foramen and to determine its precise position in relation to the surrounding anatomical landmarks in the adult population of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Material and Methods. For this purpose, 60 skulls from the Bosnia and Herzegovina population of known sex (32 males and 28 females), taken from the osteological collection of the Department of Human Anatomy of the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo, were subjected to morphological and morphometric analysis. Morphometric measurements were performed using a digital vernier caliper (Mitutoyo Corporation, Japan).

Results. The study showed that most supraorbital nerves exit the orbit through the supraorbital notch (73.8%) and the rest through the foramen (26.2%). Of this number, bilateral supraorbital notches were recorded in 58.33% of cases, a bilateral supraorbital foramen in 18.34% of cases, while in 23.33% of cases a notch was recorded on one side and a foramen on the contralateral side. Morphometric measurements performed to determine the exact position of the supraorbital foramen relative to the surrounding landmarks showed different values in males and females. An accessory foramen was also observed on the examined skulls in 16.67% of cases.

Conclusion. Detailed knowledge of anatomical variations of the supraorbital foramen is required for safe and successful administration of regional anesthesia, in order to avoid iatrogenic nerve injuries during orbitofacial region surgery.