Unreported variant foramen of the frontal bone: the latero-orbital foramen Article

Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00276-023-03273-x Web of Science: 001147706600002

Cited authors

  • Patel J, Iwanaga J, Kitagawa N, Dumont AS, Tubbs RS

Abstract

  • Variant foramina of the skull can lead to misdiagnosis on medical imaging and potentially, intraoperative complications if not appreciated. Here, we report an unusual foramen found superior to the frontozygomatic suture. The foramen was located on the left side at the superolateral rim of the orbit, 2.36 cm inferolateral to the supraorbital foramen. It was positioned 2.5 mm superior to the frontozygomatic suture. The foramen had a length of 3.1 mm and a width of 1.3 mm. The internal opening of the foramen was located 1.45 cm superolateral to the zygomaticotemporal foramen. We suggest that this foramen is a pathway for either a branch of the zygomatic nerve or lacrimal nerve and/or their vascular bundles. Although the prevalence of such a finding cannot be confirmed, such a case is of archival value as a comparison for future similar cases.

Publication date

  • 2024

Published in

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0930-1038

Number of pages

  • 4