مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Morphometric Parameters for Determining of Location of the Transverse Sinuses

Abstract :

Objective: Knowing the location of the transverse sinuses may help avoid complications such as perforation or thrombosis of durae mater sinuses which may cause fatal subdural bleeding or hematoma at posterior approaches. For this purpose, the morphometric relationships between grooves made by transverse sinuses at inner surface of the dry skull (transverse groove) and its corresponding landmarks which could be determined easily at outer surface were evaluated in this study. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 42 adult dry skulls (24 males and 18 females). The projections of the transverse grooves (TG) upper and lower points were marked at outer surface of the bone using the caliper. The vertical distance from TG to foramen magnum (FM), external occipital protuberence (EOP) and superior nuchal line (SNL) at two lateral lines which were drawn vertically from occipital condyles were measured. The results of male and female subjects were compared. Results: SNL was observed to pass through TG s inner or upper area in 80-85 % of the skulls. It was considered that SNL was a determination landmark for TG upper edge. Furthermore, EOP line was determined to pass through the TG inner or upper area in 90% of the skulls. Conclusion: Based on these observations, it has been thought that SNL should be determined during the surgery and surgeon should pay extreme attention while performing approaches close to the area around this line to avoid penetration to the transverse sinus.