Anatomical study of Foramen Spinosum among adult Human Dry Skulls of Delta State University, Abraka and University of Benin
Authors: Ikpama Wisdom , Abimbola Ebeye Oladunni 
Published: April 2020

IntroductionThere is relatively scanty data on the anthropometric study of the foramen spinosum in Nigeria and therefore due to the great surgical and diagnostic importance in procedures like percutaneous trigeminal rizotomy in trigeminal neuralgia and transfacial fine needle aspiration technique.AimThis cross‐sectional study aim to investigate the variation in the right and left length and width of the foramen spinosum.MethodA sample of seventy (70) Adult dry human skulls were investigated in this study. The skulls were obtained from the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, Delta State University, Abraka, and the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Benin. The foramen spinosum was observed from the extracranial view of the skull base. The types of foramen spinosum was noted as per the classification given by Anju such as round, oval, irregular and pin‐hole shapes. Anatomic variations of the foramen were also noted. The Oblique measures were recorded for the foramen spinosum, classifying length as anteroposterior diameter and width as transverse diameter using a digital camera.Resultsshowed that majority of the right 57(81.4%) and left 56(80.0%) foramen spinosum were round. The mean value of right and left length of foramen spinosum was 24.01±2.34 and left length of foramen spinosum was 20.10±1.13 respectively and the mean value of right and left width of foramen spinosum was 32.19±1.67 and left width of foramen spinosum was 29.25±1.10 respectively.ConclusionFrom these findings, it can be concluded that the most prevalent shape of foramen spinosum was seen to be round while oval was seen in little percentage with absence of the pin hole shaped foramen spinosum. The right length of foramen spinosum was larger compared to the left length of foramen spinosum and this was statistically significant with p‐value (0.004).Support or Funding InformationNILTable
3, The mean value of right and left length of foramen spinosum was 24.01±2.34 and left length of foramen spinosum was 20.10±1.13 respectively. Table
4, The mean value of right and left width of foramen spinosum was 32.19±1.67 and left width of foramen spinosum was 29.25±1.10 respectively.Table
2 shows the frequency distribution of shapes of left foramen spinosum. Majority of the left foramen spinosum were round, 56(80.0%).
Frequency distribution of shapes of right foramen spinosum

Right foramen spinosum shape

Observed

Expected

Round

57

81.4

Oval

12

17.1

Irregular

1

1.4

Total

70

100.0
Frequency distribution of shapes of left foramen spinosum

Left foramen spinosum shape

Observed

Expected

Round

56

80.0

Oval

12

17.1

Irregular

2

2.9

Total

70

100.0
Descriptive statistics of the right and left length of foramen spinosum

Parameters

Mean

Std. Dev.

Min. Stat.

Max Stat.

Right length of foramen spinosum

24.01

2.34

20.19

28.81

Left length of foramen spinosum

20.10

1.13

17.97

22.55
Descriptive statistics of the light and left width of foramen spinosum

Parameters

Mean

Std. Dev.

Min. Stat.

Max Stat.

Right width of foramen spinosum

32.19

1.67

29.03

34.42

Left width of foramen spinosum

29.25

1.10

25.10

31.91