MORPHOLOGICAL AND MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE FORAMEN MAGNUM AND OCCIPITAL CONDYLE IN DRIED ETHIOPIAN AND GERMAN SKULLS

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: In anatomy, the foramen magnum (Latin: “great hole”) is a large opening in the occipital bone of the cranium. It is oval and wider behind, with its greatest diameter anteroposteriorly through which the medulla oblongata (an extension of the spinal cord) and other neurovascular structure enters and exits the skull vault. The occipital condyles (OC), an important part of the craniovertebral or craniocervical junction are located anterolaterally on either side of the foramen magnum. The occipital condyles represent the cranial portion of the craniocervical junction Objective: To assess morphological and morphometric variation of the FM and OC in dried Ethiopian and German skull in the university of Gondar. Methodology: Comparative observational based descriptive study design was conducted. The study was conducted on 54 (26 Ethiopian and 28 German) skull of unknown sex in University of Gondar, department of human anatomy from December 30 up to January 30/ 2016. Checklist guided observation and measurement was made for the anteroposterior and transverse diameter as well as shape and area of the foramen magnum and occipital condyle length and width. Simple statistical methods like means, range, standard deviation and percentage was used to analyze the data. The result was presented in the form of tables, figures and text using frequencies and summary statistics Result: The mean APD and TD of the FM is 35.19mm and 30.17mm respectively and the mean area of the FM is 853.36mm2. The foramen magnum shapes were determined as round in 25.9%, oval in 18.5%, egg in 20.4%, triangular in 1.9%, pentagonal in 11.1%, hexagonal in 7.4%, irregular in 13% and rectangular in 1.9%. The mean length of right and left OC is 25.69mm and 26.96mm respectively and the mean width of the right and left OC is 12.76mm and 13.04 respectively. Conclusion: The mean APD, TD and Area of the FM both Ethiopian and German skulls do not show significant difference