Morphometric Study of Pterion in Dry Human Skull at Medical College of Eastern Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: The pterion is defined as an H shaped sutural confluence present on the lateral side of the skull. This pterion junction has been used as a common extra-cranial landmark for surgeons in microsurgical and surgical approaches towards important pathologies of this region. Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Anatomy, Birat Medical College & Teaching Hospital, Tankisinuwari, Morang, Nepal. Total enumeration technique was used to collect samples where 31 dry human skulls of unknown age and sex were taken. The sutural pattern and location of the pterion were determined and measured on both sides of each skull using a digital vernier caliper. Results: Three types of sutural patterns of pterion were observed. Among them, the Sphenoparietal type was higher in frequency. The frequency was 26 (83.8%) on the right side and 24 (77.4%) on the left side. The distance between the center of pterion to the midpoint of the upper border of the zygomatic arch was 3.82±0.3 cm on the right side and 3.8±0.29 cm on the left side. The distance between the center of pterion to the postero-lateral aspect of fronto-zygomatic suture was 3.02±0.23 cm on the right side and 3.0±0.23 cm on the left side. Conclusion: The information of the sutural pattern and the location of the pterion from the different bony landmarks of our study may be useful for anthropologists and neurosurgeons. Keywords: Frontozygomatic suture, Morphometric, Pterion, zygomatic arch DOI: https://doi.org/10.3126/jkahs.v2i3.26658

Keywords

• Frontozygomatic
• suture
• Morphometric
• Pterion
• zygomatic arch
• anatomy