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Herniation of orbital fat through the inferior orbital fissure and into the infratemporal fossa: a cadaveric case report and review

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Abstract

Orbital fat herniation is primarily in a subconjunctival location. However, herniation through the inferior orbital fissure (IOF) has been scantly reported. Here, we report a cadaveric case of herniation of orbital fat through the inferior orbital fissure and into the infratemporal fossa. The cadaver’s orbital anatomy and orbital fat herniation were found during routine dissection. The details of this case are reported. We also discuss anatomical variations of the inferior orbital fissure as well as the related vascular and nervous system structures related to orbital fat herniation. This is a rare case of a cadaver with this anatomical abnormality.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank those who donated their body for the advancement of medical education and research. All the authors have read the manuscript and have approved of this submission.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Queensland-Ochsner Clinical School, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Kennedy Carpenter

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Tulane Center for Clinical Neurosciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, 131 S. Robertson St. Suite 1300, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Joe Iwanaga, Aaron S. Dumont & R. Shane Tubbs

  3. Department of Neurosurgery and Ochsner Neuroscience Institute, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

  4. Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George’s University, St. George’s, Grenada

    R. Shane Tubbs

  5. Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA

    R. Shane Tubbs

  6. Department of Neurosurgery, Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, USA

    C. J. Bui

  7. Ochsner Clinic Neurosurgery Program, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Joseph Lockwood

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  1. Kennedy Carpenter
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  2. Joseph Lockwood
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  3. Joe Iwanaga
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  4. Aaron S. Dumont
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  5. C. J. Bui
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Contributions

K Carpenter: Data analysis, Manuscript writing. J Lockwood: Data analysis, Manuscript writing. J Iwanaga: Protocol/project development, Data collection, Data analysis, Manuscript editing. CJ Bui: Manuscript editing. AS Dumont: Protocol/project development, Manuscript editing. RS Tubbs: Protocol/project development, Data collection, Manuscript editing.

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Correspondence to Joe Iwanaga.

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The authors received no funding or grants for this work from any organization or foundation. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Carpenter, K., Lockwood, J., Iwanaga, J. et al. Herniation of orbital fat through the inferior orbital fissure and into the infratemporal fossa: a cadaveric case report and review. Surg Radiol Anat 42, 1119–1121 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02504-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-020-02504-9

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