Morphology and morphometry of mental foramen in dry human mandibles

Background: Mental foramen (MF) is an important landmark to facilitate surgical, local anaesthetic and other invasive procedures. The present study was aimed to provide anatomical information on the position, morphological variations and incidence of mental foramen and accessory mental foramen.Methods: This study was conducted on 41 dry adult human mandibles in the department of anatomy, Government Medical College Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. Parameters like incidence, position, shape and presence of accessory mental foramen were studied.Results: Mental foramen was present bilaterally in all 41 mandibles. Accessory mental foramen(AMF) was present in 2 cases (4.87%). The most frequent position of foramen in relation to the teeth was in line with the longitudinal axis of 2nd premolar on both right (63.42%) and left (60.98%) side. Most common shape was round shape.Conclusions: Mental foramen variation often remains unnoticed and undiagnosed. Variations do exist in the position, shape, and size of mental foramen in different population groups. Present study provide the necessary data of  mental foramen location and morphometry which may be useful for the surgeons, anaesthetists, neurosurgeons and dentists to carry out nerve block and surgical procedures

Morphometry of the adult human dry hip bone in Kashmiri population

Background: The distinctive morphology of the human hip bone makes it of interest from anatomical, anthropological and forensic point of view. Thus, by using visual criteria, metric techniques and discriminant function analysis we can estimate the age, sex and race of an individual. Objective was to do the morphometry of 60 dry human hip bones in Kashmiri population in order to evaluate the various parameters of the hip bone.Methods: The study was done on 60 randomly collected Kashmiri adult unpaired hip bones of unknown sex to analyse and evaluate the weight, length, width and the Coxal index of hip bone. All the hip bones selected were dry, complete and showed normal anatomical features. Specimens showing osteoarthritic changes, evidence of any previous trauma or skeletal disorders was excluded from the study.Results: The raw data obtained was statistically analysed. Range, mean, standard deviation and standard error of mean were determined for each parameter. All values were compared with series of other workers to draw the conclusions.Conclusions: From this study, it was concluded that right hip bone has larger parameters and greater strength of skeletal elements. The difference seen between the values of present study and that of other workers could be explained on the basis of ethnic and racial variations.

Morphometric study of mandibular foramen and its clinical significance in inferior alveolar nerve block

Background: This study was done to determine the precise location of the mandibular foramen so as to lower down the percentage of the failure of the attainment of the anaesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve during dental procedures. Methods: In this cross sectional study a total of 50 dry human mandibles were examined. The measurements were taken from the anterior border of the ramus (coronoid notch) to the midportion of the MF (mandibular foramen) and from the midportion of the mandibular foramen to other landmarks such as posterior border of ramus, from inferior limit of MF to inferior border of ramus and the midpoint on symphysis menti. Results: The comparison of data was done using student’s t-test. The mandibular foramen was positioned at a mean distance of 18.26 mm (with a standard deviation of 1.77) from the anterior border of the ramus. The mean distance from posterior border of the ramus to the mid point of mandibular foramen was 13.5 mm with a SD of 2.16. Conclusions: The present study gives a fair knowledge of the position of mandibular foramen and provides information for successful local anesthesia of inferior nerve block to maxillofacial surgeons, ENT surgeons and onco-surgeons

Nutrient foramen of humerus

Background: Humerus is a typical long bone of arm in human body extending from shoulders to elbow. Nutrient foramen is the small opening present in most of the bone of human body to transmit the nutrient artery which supplies nutrition to different parts of bone. The aim of the present study is to identify the number of nutrient foramen in dry humerus and to observe direction and allocation of the nutrient foramina. Methods: The present study was carried out in 60 dry humeri (23 rights and 37 lefts) collected from Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College Srinagar. Bones were examined with respect to the number, direction and anatomical location of nutrient foramen. Results: Out of 60 dry humeri, 36 (60%) had a single nutrient foramen, 14 (23.3%) had double, 7 (11.6%) had triple and 3 (5%) had no nutrient foramen. About 52% of the bones had nutrient foramen on the medial border, 40% on the Anteromedial surface, 3% on lateral border, 3% on posterior surface and 2% on the anterior border. Majority of the bones i.e., 81% have the nutrient foramen in the middle 1/3rd zone, 17% at the junction between middle 1/3rd zone and lower 1/3rd zone and 2% in the lower 1/3rd zone. Conclusions: By knowing the number and location of the nutrient foramina in humerus it is useful in preventing intra-operative injury of nutrient artery during orthopedic, plastic and reconstructive surgery

Branching pattern of marginal mandibular nerve-an anatomical study

Background: Marginal Mandibular nerve, a branch of facial nerve, emerges at the lower part of the anterior border of parotid gland. It supplies risorius, muscles of lower lip and chin and joins mental nerve. This nerve has an important relationship with the lower border of mandible and is likely to be damaged during procedures in or around the submandibular area and can lead to certain morbid conditions like deviation of angle of mouth, drooling of saliva and difficulty in phonation.Methods: Sixty formalin preserved specimens of head and neck were used for studying the branching pattern of marginal mandibular nerve. The present study was conducted in the department of Anatomy Govt Medical College Srinagar over a period of two and a half years from 2015 to 2017. Cadaveric dissection was also used in the study during the routine teaching of undergraduate MBBS and BDS students in the department. The photographs of the variations seen during the study were taken.Results: In Forty-seven specimens (78.33%) there was a single branch of marginal mandibular nerve, in 10 specimens (16.6%) there were two branches of marginal mandibular nerve and in three specimens (5.0%) the marginal mandibular nerve was having three branches.Conclusions: From the above study it was concluded that marginal mandibular nerve can have two or three branches. Therefore, it is advisable to take due care during surgical procedures in the lower part of face and upper part of neck to preserve marginal mandibular nerve and to ensure cosmesis and prevent morbidity

Do universal critical spine dimensions exist?

The effective spinal canal diameter is the fundamental index which will determine whether a patient of any compressive cervical spine pathology will get neurological deficit or not. So we analysed this index in our subset of population. 180 subjects with normal or near normal cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging were included. Antero-posterior diameter and transverse diameter of spinal canal from C3 to C7 was measured. Similarly spinal cord antero-posterior and transverse diameters were measured. Space available for cord was calculated at each of these levels in both sexes as the difference between the antero-posterior diameter of the spinal canal and that of the spinal cord. The mean value with standard deviation of cervical spinal canal diameter antero-posterior diameter at C3, C4, C5, C6 and C7 was 13.69±1.248, 13.34±1.186, 13.15±1.233, 13.12±1.275 and 13.73±1.226 mm respectively. The spinal cord antero-posterior diameter at the same level was 7.61±0.728, 7.58±0.677, 7.40±0.653, 7.12±0.657 and 6.69±0.622 mm respectively. The mean cervical spinal canal diameter of the local population in our region is different from the rest of the country. This has two implications; first the ancestral lineage is matching with some remote races of the world for which a detailed study may be needed. Secondly the dimension at which we call çritical stenosis may be different in the region as compared with the rest of the country

Structural organization and pattern of innervations of human Meissner’s corpuscle: a light microscopic study

Background: Human glabrous skin has very rich nerve supply in the form of specialized nerve endings like Meissner’s corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles, Krause end bulbs etc for carrying sensory information to brain. Aim of study: To study the structure, pattern of innervations and nerve terminations of human Meissner’s corpuscle. Methods: Skin samples from sixty human beings (age range 2 to 72 years) were taken, sections prepared and stained with a cytological (Haematoxylin – Eosin and Vongieson’s stains) and a neural stain (Silver Impregnation). Results: With cytological stain, Meissner’s corpuscles were seen in dermal papillae of glabrous skin, each consisting of a cellular structure having a peripheral capsule and central core of transversely arranged cells. With neural stain, each corpuscle was seen to be oval, globular or cylindrical structure, having a capsule surrounding the core of spirally arranged nerve fibers, sandwiched by Schwann cells. In between nerve fibers of the core were seen small bundles of collagen fibers. 2-6 nerve fibers innervated each Mc from the sub corial plexus of nerves and formed various patterns of nerve endings like networks, end bulbs and varicosities inside the Meissner’s corpuscle. Conclusion: Meissner’s corpuscle is a complex structure composed of capsule - consisting of spindle shaped capsular cells interspersed in collagen fibers, surrounding a core of helically arranged nerve fibers, Schwann cells and collagen fibers

Effect of cyclophosphamide on the microanatomy of liver of albino rats

Background: Cyclophosphamide is widely used in the treatment of various neoplastic diseases and diseases associated with altered immunity. Higher doses used for longer duration effects many organs like urinary bladder, lungs, liver, heart and male reproductive organs.Methods: To study the effect of cyclophosphamide on the micro anatomy of liver, sixty eight Albino rats were taken and divided into three groups, group A (control group) of 20 animals, were fed with routine diet, group B (low dose group) of 24 animals, were given cyclophosphamide at the dose of 0.5 mg/100 gms in addition to the routine diet and group C (high dose group) of 24 animals, were given high dose of cyclophosphamide at the dose of 0.7 mg/100 gms of weight of animal in addition to the routine diet. The animals were sacrificed at intervals of 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks, 5 microns sections of the tissue were prepared and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin stain.Results: Microscopic changes in liver were apparent in the drug treated animals. In group B the changes appeared after 6 weeks while in group C they started appearing after 3 weeks of drug treatment. The changes were in the form of fatty changes, hemorrhages and central vein congestion.Conclusion: Cyclophosphamide induces histological changes like fatty infiltration and central vein congestion in the liver. These changes are with low doses given for longer durations and manifest earlier when larger doses are used. Thus it is advised that patients receiving cyclophosphamide should be periodically evaluated for liver dysfunction.