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Anatomical variations of the zygomaticofacial foramen and its related canal through the zygomatico-orbital and zygomaticotemporal foramina in dry human skulls

  • Anatomic Variations
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Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to reveal the location of the zygomaticofacial foramina, the variations of their numbers, and their connections between the zygomatico-orbital and zygomaticotemporal foramina.

Methods

Ethics committee approval of our study was received by the Istanbul Medical Faculty Clinical Research Ethics Committee (date:30.07.2021, number:358356). 171 zygomatic bones of unknown gender from the Department of Anatomy, Istanbul University, were included in this study. The number of zygomaticofacial foramina and their connections with the zygomatico-orbital foramen and the zygomaticotemporal foramina were examined. Also, the morphometric distances between the zygomaticofacial foramen were calculated. Evaluation of the data was done with SPPS v.21.

Results

The number of zygomaticofacial foramina was found as 299. It was found single, double, three, four, five and six foramina, in 52 (30.4%), 52 (30.4%), 24 (14.03%), 10 (5.85%), 5 (2.93%), 1 (0.58%) zygomatic bone, respectively. Zygomaticofacial foramen was absent in 27 (15.8%) bones. Of these 299 foramina, 129 were found to be connected with zygomatico-orbital foramen and 23 with zygomaticotemporal foramen. It was noted that 147 zygomaticofacial foramina had no connection with any foramina. The distances between the zygomaticofacial foramen and the frontozygomatic suture, temporal process, maxillary process, the lowest point of the zygomatic bone, and orbital rim were found as 25.30 ± 2.81mm, 18.74 ± 3.56mm, 21.56 ± 4.16mm, 18.72 ± 2.57mm, 6.67 ± 3.27mm, respectively.

Conclusion

Consequently, the location and variations of ZFF are of great importance for maxillofacial surgery and regional block anesthesia. Knowing its location and variations will help prevent complications during any surgical intervention in this region.

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Gkionoul.chatzioglou@istun.edu.tr.

Abbreviations

ZFF:

Zygomaticofacial foramen

ZOF:

Zygomatico-orbital foramen

ZTF:

Zygomaticotemporal foramen

FS:

Frontozygomatic suture

TP:

Temporal process of zygomatic bone

MP:

Maxillary process of zygomatic bone

LP:

The lowest point of the zygomatic bone

OR:

Orbital rim

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Health and Technology University, Sütlüce, İmrahor Street, No: 82 34015 Beyoğlu, İstanbul, Turkey

    Gkionoul Nteli Chatzioglou

  2. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Latif Sağlam, Mehmet Yiğit & Özcan Gayretli

  3. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Yeni Yüzyıl University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Buse Naz Çandir

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Contributions

GNC, LS wrote the main manuscript text and BNC, MY and OG prepared Figs. 1–3 and tables. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Gkionoul Nteli Chatzioglou.

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Ethical approval

Ethics committee approval of our study was received by the Istanbul Medical Faculty Clinical Research Ethics Committee (date: 30.07.2021, number: 358356).

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Nteli Chatzioglou, G., Sağlam, L., Çandir, B.N. et al. Anatomical variations of the zygomaticofacial foramen and its related canal through the zygomatico-orbital and zygomaticotemporal foramina in dry human skulls. Surg Radiol Anat 46, 33–40 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-023-03257-x

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