Meningo–orbital Foramen in the Lateral  Orbital Wall  Topographical Anatomy  and Clinical Relevance

Renu Chauhan; Jugesh Khanna

Volume : II, Issue : IV, April - 2013

Meningo–orbital Foramen in the Lateral Orbital Wall Topographical Anatomy and Clinical Relevance

Renu Chauhan, Jugesh Khanna

Abstract :

Sometimes one foramen is seen lying near or along the fronto–sphenoidal suture, superolateral to the lateral end of superior orbital fissure. This inconsistent foramen, known as meningo–orbital foramen (MOF), transmits a anch of anterior meningeal artery, providing additional blood supply to the orbit. The frequency of occurrence of MOF, its distance from supraorbital notch/foramen and frontozygomatic suture has not been seen in North Indian population therefore a study was conducted on 100 orbits of fifty North Indian skulls. MOF was found to be present in 32 orbits (Right =18, Left=14). The mean distance from MOF to the supra–orbital notch/foramen was 36.2 mm on the right and 36.6 on the left side. The mean distance from MOF to frontozygomatic suture was 21.0 mm on the right and 20.5 mm on the left side. As in some surgical interventions, MOF may lie near the operating field, surgeons need to be familiar about its presence and location.