Anatomical Study of Number, Location and Position of Nutrient Foramina of Fully Ossified Dry Human Humerus

The nutrient foramen is the natural opening present in the shaft of the humerus. It passes the nutrient artery to the medullary cavity. The nutrient artery is the chief artery that enters the bone through a nutrient foramen to provide nutrition for its growth. It plays an important role in healing during fracture and trauma and is also important for bone grafting. This study aimed to determine the common location, position and number of nutrient foramina of fully ossified dry human humerus. One hundred samples (right- 43 and left- 57) were selected through the purposive sampling technique for this cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in the Department of Anatomy, Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh from July 2021 to June 2022. Any damaged, unossified bones or fractured bones were excluded. Data were tabulated and statistically analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. Among 43 right humeri, 37(75.51%) have single-nutrient foramen and 06(24.49%) have double-nutrient foramina. Among 57 left humeri, 53(92.98%) have single nutrient foramen, 03(5.27%) have double nutrient foramina and 01(1.75%) has triple nutrient foramina. In case of location of nutrient foramina, among 49 right nutrient foramina, 45(91.84%) were found on the anteromedial surface, 02(4.08%) were found on the anterolateral surface and 02(4.08%) were on the posterior surface of the shaft of the humerus. In case of 62 left nutrient foramina, 57(91.94%) were found on the anteromedial surface and 05(8.06%) were found on the posterior surface of the shaft of the humerus. Among 49 right nutrient foramina, 01(2.04%) was found on the upper third, 46(93.88%) on the middle third and 02(4.08%) on the lower third of the shaft of the humerus. In case of 62 left nutrient foramina, 01(1.60%) was on the upper third, 57(91.95%) were on the middle third and 04(6.45%) were on the lower third of the shaft of the humerus.