A Morphological study of Hypoglossal Canal and its relation with Occipital Condyle in North Indian Dry Skulls

Pankaj Singh; T. Praveen; Shravan Kumar Verma; Vinod kumar

Volume : VII, Issue : VII, July - 2018

A Morphological study of Hypoglossal Canal and its relation with Occipital Condyle in North Indian Dry Skulls

Pankaj Singh, T. Praveen, Shravan Kumar Verma, Vinod Kumar

Abstract :

The hypoglossal canal is a bony canal in the occipital bone of the skull also known as anterior condylar canal. Hypoglossal canal (HC) is situated above the occipital condyle at its junction of anterior one–third and posterior two–third. The boundaries of the anterior condylar canal are jugular tubercle superiorly and occipital condyle inferiorly.Present study conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Saraswati medical college, Uttar Pradesh. Study conducted on 106 dry skulls was collected from the Department of Anatomy. Study was used to evaluate the relation between the anterior condylar canal (hypoglossal canal) and occipital condyle. According to the position of the canal in relation with occipital condyle, Canal was categorised in to three types. Anterior third, Middle thirdand Posterior third of the occipital condyle. In our study we found majority of the HC on right and left side present in relation with the anterior third of the occipital condyle.In the present study the difference between the right and left side was found insignificant (p value 0.145). The relation between the hypoglossal canal and occipital condyle must be studied since it allows the passage of hypoglossal cranial nerve, which supplies musculature of the tongue. Neurosurgeons performing surgery at this area should be more familiar with the anatomy and variations of this region. Before the surgery involving the cranioverteal junction, the morphological and location of the hypoglossal canal must be evaluated.