TY - JOUR
T1 - Ossification of the Posterior Petroclinoid Dural Fold
T2 - A Cadaveric Study with Neurosurgical Significance
AU - Kimball, David
AU - Kimball, Heather
AU - Matusz, Petru
AU - Tubbs, R. Shane
AU - Loukas, Marios
AU - Cohen-Gadol, A. Aaron
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Objectives The roof of the porus trigeminus, composed of the posterior petroclinoid dural fold, is an important landmark to the skull base surgeon. Ossification of the posterior petroclinoid dural fold is an anatomical variation rarely mentioned in the literature. Such ossification results in the trigeminal nerve traversing a bony foramen as it enters Meckel cave. The authors performed this study to better elucidate this anatomical variation. Design Fifteen adult cadaveric head halves were subjected to dissection of the middle cranial fossa. Microdissection techniques were used to examine the posterior petroclinoid dural folds. Skull base osteology was also studied in 71 dry human skulls with attention paid to the attachment point of the posterior petroclinoid dural folds at the trigeminal protuberances. Setting Cadaver laboratory Main Outcome Measures Measurements were made using a microcaliper. Digital images were made of the dissections. Results Completely ossified posterior petroclinoid folds were present in 20% of the specimens. Of the 142 dry skull sides examined, 9% had large trigeminal protuberances. Conclusions Based on this study, the posterior petroclinoid dural fold may completely ossify in adults that may lead to narrowing of the porus trigeminus and potential compression of the trigeminal nerve at the entrance to Meckel cave.
AB - Objectives The roof of the porus trigeminus, composed of the posterior petroclinoid dural fold, is an important landmark to the skull base surgeon. Ossification of the posterior petroclinoid dural fold is an anatomical variation rarely mentioned in the literature. Such ossification results in the trigeminal nerve traversing a bony foramen as it enters Meckel cave. The authors performed this study to better elucidate this anatomical variation. Design Fifteen adult cadaveric head halves were subjected to dissection of the middle cranial fossa. Microdissection techniques were used to examine the posterior petroclinoid dural folds. Skull base osteology was also studied in 71 dry human skulls with attention paid to the attachment point of the posterior petroclinoid dural folds at the trigeminal protuberances. Setting Cadaver laboratory Main Outcome Measures Measurements were made using a microcaliper. Digital images were made of the dissections. Results Completely ossified posterior petroclinoid folds were present in 20% of the specimens. Of the 142 dry skull sides examined, 9% had large trigeminal protuberances. Conclusions Based on this study, the posterior petroclinoid dural fold may completely ossify in adults that may lead to narrowing of the porus trigeminus and potential compression of the trigeminal nerve at the entrance to Meckel cave.
KW - cadaver dissection
KW - microanatomy
KW - neurosurgery
KW - petroclinoid dural fold
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84945944704&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1055/s-0034-1396598
DO - 10.1055/s-0034-1396598
M3 - Article
C2 - 26225315
AN - SCOPUS:84945944704
SN - 2193-6331
VL - 76
SP - 272
EP - 277
JO - Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base
JF - Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base
IS - 4
ER -