Anatomy and Cell Biology

Korean Association of Anatomists (대한해부학회)
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Morphological analysis and morphometry of the occipital condyle and its relationship to the foramen magnum, jugular foramen, and hypoglossal canal: implications for craniovertebral junction surgery

  • Pakpoom Thintharua (Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University) ;
  • Vilai Chentanez (Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University)
  • Received : 2022.05.19
  • Accepted : 2022.12.11
  • Published : 2023.03.31
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Abstract

Anatomical knowledge of the occipital condyle (OC) and its relationships to surrounding structures is important for avoiding injury during craniovertebral junction (CVJ) surgeries. This study was conducted to evaluate the morphology and morphometry of OC and its relationship to foramen magnum, jugular foramen (JF), and hypoglossal canal (HC). Morphometric parameters including length, width, height, and distances from the OC to surrounding structures were measured. The oval-like condyle was the most common OC shape, representing for 33.0% of all samples. The mean length, width and height of OC were 21.3±2.4, 10.5±1.4, and 7.4±1.1 mm, respectively. Moreover, OC was classified into three types based on its length. The most common OC length in both sexes was moderate length or type II (62.5%). The mean distance between anterior tips and posterior tips of OC to basion, and opisthion were 11.5±1.4, 39.1±3.3, 25.2±2.2, and 27.4±2.7 mm, respectively. The location of intracranial orifice of HC was commonly found related to middle 1/3 of OC in 45.0%. JF was related to the anterior 2/3 of OC in 81.0%, the anterior 1/3 of OC in 12.5%, and the entire OC length in 6.5%. These morphological analysis and morphometric data should be taken into consideration before performing surgical operation to avoid CVJ instability and neurovascular structure injury.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to express their gratitude to those who have donated their body for medical study and research. Special thanks are extended to the technical staffs of the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University for their support.

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