Congenital malformation of lamina orbitalis ossis ethmoidalis

Abstract

Background: The thinnest portion of the medial wall of the orbit is Lamina orbitalis ossis ethmoidalis which separates the ethmoidal sinuses from the orbit. Congenital bony malformation of orbit and anatomical variation of ethmoidal sinuses are important in terms of the risk of complication development during endoscopic sinus surgery and to understanding the pathophysiology and spread of sinus disease. Materials and Methods: Accordingly the present study was designed to fi nd out the congenital malformation of medial wall of the orbit in relation to lamina orbitalis ossis ethmoidalis. The study was carried out using 100 dried adult human skulls and twenty six human cadavers irrespective of sex were obtained from the Department of Anatomy - Mayo Institute of Medical Sciences-Barabanki, Department of Anatomy - Melaka Manipal Medical College - Manipal and Department of Anatomy - KMCT Medical College, Manassery - Calicut. Results: In three skulls (2.380%) we noted unilateral unusual hole at the junction of medial wall and roof of orbit with dimensions of 2.3 cm long and 1 cm height in two skulls and another unusual vertical hole at the anterior part of medial wall and roof of orbit with dimensions of 2 cm height and 1 cm width. We also noted few ethmoidal cells extended in to the orbital plate and fovea ethmoidalis of the frontal bone. Conclusion: Congenital defective formation of bony orbit and variable anatomy of paranasal sinuses noted in this study is may be due to the defective formation of Lamina orbitalis ossis ethmoidalis from the lateral part of the nasal capsule near the fronto ethmoidal suture such comprehensive knowledge is necessary to understand the various disorders of this region and to avoid complications during surgical procedures involving this area.

Keywords

• ethmoidal air sinuses
• fovea ethmoidalis
• lamina orbitalis ossis ethmoidalis
• nasal cavity
• supraorbital ethmoid cells