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The sphenozygomatic fissure
, 1, 1
Affiliations- Division of Anatomy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
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Abstract
The lateral (temporal) wall of the orbit separates it from the temporal fossa and the anterior part of the temporal muscle. Within this wall, the sphenozygomatic suture joins the greater wing of the sphenoid bone and the zygomatic bone. We retrospectively documented in cone-beam computed tomography the anatomy of the orbit in a 56-year-old female and we found a previously unreported anatomic variant. The greater wing of the sphenoid bone and the zygomatic bone were separated, bilaterally, by a large unossified space which we termed the sphenozygomatic fissure. This was merged inferiorly with the inferior orbital fissure. A possible imbalanced mechanism of membranous ossification of both the zygomatic bone and the orbital surface of the greater wing could be speculated as a possible cause for such sphenozygomatic fissure. This previously undocumented anatomic variant is of high clinical relevance, since it may allow orbital fat to herniate (or bulge) toward the temporal fossa, it may be easily damaged during minor trauma and it should be carefully approached during the surgery of the orbit through the lateral wall.
Abstract
The lateral (temporal) wall of the orbit separates it from the temporal fossa and the anterior part of the temporal muscle. Within this wall, the sphenozygomatic suture joins the greater wing of the sphenoid bone and the zygomatic bone. We retrospectively documented in cone-beam computed tomography the anatomy of the orbit in a 56-year-old female and we found a previously unreported anatomic variant. The greater wing of the sphenoid bone and the zygomatic bone were separated, bilaterally, by a large unossified space which we termed the sphenozygomatic fissure. This was merged inferiorly with the inferior orbital fissure. A possible imbalanced mechanism of membranous ossification of both the zygomatic bone and the orbital surface of the greater wing could be speculated as a possible cause for such sphenozygomatic fissure. This previously undocumented anatomic variant is of high clinical relevance, since it may allow orbital fat to herniate (or bulge) toward the temporal fossa, it may be easily damaged during minor trauma and it should be carefully approached during the surgery of the orbit through the lateral wall.
Keywords
orbit, cone-beam computed tomography, temporal fossa, orbital hernia, hiatus
About this articleTitle
The sphenozygomatic fissure
Journal
Issue
Article type
Case report
Pages
219-221
Published online
2020-02-13
Page views
1393
Article views/downloads
1374
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2021;80(1):219-221.
Keywords
orbit
cone-beam computed tomography
temporal fossa
orbital hernia
hiatus
Authors
M. C. Rusu
F. Pop
M. Săndulescu
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