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The thyroid foramen: a systematic review and surgical considerations
Athanasios Raikos1, George K Paraskevas
1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia. a.raikos@yahoo.com
Clinical Anatomy (New York, N.Y.)
|April 5, 2013
Summary
The thyroid foramen, a common anatomical variant, appears in 28.3% of adults. Its contents, often a neurovascular bundle, are crucial for surgeons to avoid complications during laryngeal procedures.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Embryology
- Surgical Anatomy
Background:
- The thyroid foramen is an anatomical variant with varying prevalence across different age groups.
- Understanding its content and topography is essential for surgical safety in the laryngeal region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct an analytic review of the thyroid foramen.
- To detail its demographics, frequency, embryology, morphometry, content, and topography.
- To provide clinical and surgical considerations and an updated classification.
Main Methods:
- Analytic review of existing literature on the thyroid foramen.
- Compilation and analysis of data on prevalence, content, and anatomical landmarks.
Main Results:
- Overall frequency: 28.3% in adults, 15% in children/neonates, 40.6% in embryos/fetuses.
- Common content: neurovascular bundle (41.2%), nerve (41.2%), vessel (17.6%), connective tissue/pit (11.8%).
- The oblique line of the thyroid lamina is the key landmark for identifying aberrant anatomy.
Conclusions:
- The thyroid foramen is a significant anatomical variant with implications for laryngeal surgery.
- Awareness of its potential contents and accurate topographical identification are vital to prevent surgical complications like bleeding and neural impairment.
