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Ossification of the petrosphenoid ligament - a case study
Janusz Skrzat1, Izabela Mróz, Alexandru Spulber
1Department of Anatomy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kopernika 12, Kraków, Poland. jskrzat@poczta.onet.pl.
Folia Medica Cracoviensia
|November 10, 2017
Summary
A partially ossified petrosphenoid ligament was found in a human skull, forming an overhang above the abducens nerve. This anatomical finding provides insight into the bony structures surrounding Dorello
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Neuroanatomy
- Surgical Anatomy
Background:
- The petrosphenoid ligament is a fibrous band in the skull base.
- Ossification of ligaments can lead to anatomical variations.
- Understanding skull base anatomy is crucial for neurosurgery.
Observation:
- A human skull exhibited a partially ossified petrosphenoid ligament.
- This ossification presented as two bony trabeculae near the posterior clinoid process and petrous apex.
- These structures formed an overhang, leaving a small gap between them.
Findings:
- The ossified ligamentous structures were positioned to create an overhang above the abducens nerve (cranial nerve VI).
- These findings suggest a role in forming the superior wall of Dorello's canal.
- Dorello's canal transmits the abducens nerve and associated vasculature.
Implications:
- This anatomical variation may influence surgical approaches to the skull base.
- Understanding such ossifications is important for interpreting imaging studies.
- Potential implications for conditions affecting the abducens nerve or Dorello's canal warrant further investigation.
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