Ossified pterygospinous ligament and its clinical implications

To study the anatomico-radiological aspects of ossified pterygospinous ligament in human skulls.

The pterygospinous ligament is usually attached to spine of the sphenoid and the posterior border of the lateral pterygoid plate. It may sometimes be ossified.

The lateral pterygoid plate of the sphenoid bone and the presence of ossified pterygospinous ligament was studied in 50 dried bone specimens and photographed. A skiagram of the ossified pterygosphenoid ligament was also obtained.

Out of 50 specimens studied, we observed the presence of flattened and broad lateral pterygoid plate and incomplete, ossified, pterygospinous ligament on the right side, in only one bone specimen. The lateral pterygoid was as usual thin, broad and everted in the other 49 specimens.

The study describes anatomical and radiological aspects of an incomplete ossified pterygospinous ligament. The presence of ossified pterygospinous ligament may result in the formation of a foramen, through which the branches of mandibular nerve may pass. Presence of such anomalies may compress upon the branches of the mandibular nerve and chorda tympani nerves. Increase in the width and flattening of the lateral pterygoid plate may leave little space, causing difficulty while performing surgical operations on the pterygoid region. Anomalies involving the pterygospinous ligament may not only be of academic interest but also be beneficial for maxillofacial and dental surgeons and anaesthetists (Fig. 3, Ref. 11).