Abstract
Abstract
The anterior ethmoidal artery is an important landmark in functional endoscopic sinus surgery.
Aims
We undertook this study to determine the reliability of identification of the artery on the coronal CT scan and to determine whether a correlation exists between the pneumatisation of the suprabullar recess and the vertical distance of the artery from the base skull.
Materials and Methods
50 randomly selected CT scans were studied. The anterior ethmoidal artery was identified on each side and the vertical distance between the artery and the base skull was measured. The orbital beak and the superior oblique muscle were used as landmarks to identify the artery. The CT scans were divided into two groups based on whether the supraorbital cell was present or absent. These groups were each further subdivided into 3 groups depending on the vertical distance between the anterior ethmoidal artery and the base skull.
Results
The anterior ethmoidal artery was reliably identified in 97% of the cases. When the supraorbital cell was absent, the mean distance between the artery and the base skull was 1.5 mm; while when the cell was present, the mean distance was 4.86 mm. When these groups were evaluated for statistical significance, the p value was 0.000 (highly significant).
Conclusion
The orbital beak and superior oblique muscle are reliable landmarks to identify the anterior ethmoidal artery. There exists a strong correlation between the vertical distance of the artery from the base skull and the presence of the supraorbital ethmoid cell.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ducasse A, Delattre JF, Segal A, Desphieux JL, Flamant JB. Anatomical basis of the surgical approach to the medial wall of the orbit. Anat Clin 1985;7:15–21.
Lee WC, Ming Ku PK, van Hasselt CA. New guidelines for endoscopic localisation of the anterior ethmoidal artery: a cadaveric study. Laryngoscope 2000;110:1173–1178.
Hosemann W, Gross R, Goede U, Kuehnel T. Clinical anatomy of the nasal process of the frontal bone (spina nasalis interna). Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001;125:60–65.
Ohnishi T, Yanagisawa E. Endoscopic anatomy of the anterior ethmoidal artery. Ear Nose Throat J 1994;73:634–636.
Moon HJ, Kim HU, Lee JG, Chung IH. Surgical anatomy of the anterior ethmoidal canal in ethmoid roof. Laryngoscope 2001;111:900–904.
Basak S, Karaman CZ, Akdilli A. Evaluation of some anatomical variations and dangerous areas of the paranasal sinuses by CT for safer endonasal surgery. Rhinology 1998;36:162–167.
Chung SK, Dhong HJ, Kim HY. Computed tomography anatomy of the anterior ethmoid canal. Am J Rhinol 2001;15:77–81.
Meloni F, Mini R, Rovasio S, Stomeo F, Teatini GP. Anatomic variations of surgical importance in ethmoid labyrinth and sphenoid sinus. A study of radiological anatomy. Surg Radiol Anat 1992;14:65–70.
Zacharek MA, Han JK, Allen R, Weissman JL, Hwang PH. Sagittal and coronal dimensions of the ethmoid roof: a radioanatomic study. Am J Rhinol 2005;19:348–352.
Badia L, Lund VJ, Wei W, Ho WK. Ethnic variation in sinonasal anatomy on CT-scanning. Rhinology 2005;43:210–214.
McDonald S E, Robinson P J, Nunez D A. Radiological anatomy of the anterior ethmoidal artery for functional endoscopic sinus surgery. The Journal of Laryngol & Otol 2008;122:264–267.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Joshi, A.A., Shah, K.D. & Bradoo, R.A. Radiological correlation between the anterior ethmoidal artery and the supraorbital ethmoid cell. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 62, 299–303 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-010-0088-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-010-0088-3