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The olfactory fascia: an evo–devo concept of the fibrocartilaginous nose

  • Anatomic Bases of Medical, Radiological and Surgical Techniques
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Abstract

Purpose

Evo–devo is the science that studies the link between evolution of species and embryological development. This concept helps to understand the complex anatomy of the human nose. The evo–devo theory suggests the persistence in the adult of an anatomical entity, the olfactory fascia, that unites the cartilages of the nose to the olfactory mucosa.

Methods

We dissected two fresh specimens. After resecting the superficial tissues of the nose, dissection was focused on the disarticulation of the fibrocartilaginous noses from the facial and skull base skeleton.

Results

Dissection shows two fibrocartilaginous sacs that were invaginated side-by-side in the midface and attached to the anterior skull base. These membranous sacs were separated in the midline by the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid. Their walls contained the alar cartilages and the lateral expansions of the septolateral cartilage, which we had to separate from the septal cartilage. The olfactory mucosa was located inside their cranial ends.

Conclusion

The olfactory fascia is a continuous membrane uniting the nasal cartilages to the olfactory mucosa. Its origin can be found in the invagination and differentiation processes of the olfactory placodes. The fibrous portions of the olfactory fascia may be described as ligaments that unit the different components of the olfactory fascia one to the other and the fibrocartilaginous nose to the facial and skull base skeleton. The basicranial ligaments, fixing the fibrocartilaginous nose to the skull base, represent key elements in the concept of septorhinoplasty by disarticulation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors want to acknowledge Marine Krebs and Jean Michel Arnoux for the help they provided during the dissection procedures.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ORL Department, Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire, Batiment Louis Mathieu, Rue du Morvan, 54500, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France

    Roger Jankowski, Cécile Rumeau, Théophile de Saint Hilaire, Duc Trung Nguyen & Patrice Gallet

  2. Department of Neuroradiology, Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire, Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 54035, Nancy, France

    Romain Tonnelet

  3. Department of Anatomy, Pr M Braun, Faculty of Medicine of Nancy, 9 Avenue de la Foret de Haye CS50184, 54500, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France

    Romain Tonnelet & Manuela Perez

  4. General and Emergency Surgery Department, Pr Grosdidier, Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire, Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 54035, Nancy, France

    Manuela Perez

Authors
  1. Roger Jankowski
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  2. Cécile Rumeau
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  3. Théophile de Saint Hilaire
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  4. Romain Tonnelet
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  5. Duc Trung Nguyen
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  6. Patrice Gallet
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  7. Manuela Perez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manuela Perez.

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Ethical standards

The study and the dissection was conduct with all due respect to the specimen.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no personal disclosure or conflict of interest.

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Jankowski, R., Rumeau, C., de Saint Hilaire, T. et al. The olfactory fascia: an evo–devo concept of the fibrocartilaginous nose. Surg Radiol Anat 38, 1161–1168 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-016-1677-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-016-1677-y

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