Surgical Anatomy of Fissures and Foramina in the Orbits of Thai Adults
Thanasil Huanmanop MD, MSc*, Sithiporn Agthong MD, PhD*, Vilai Chentanez MD, PhD*
Affiliation : * Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
Background : The anatomy of orbital foramina appears to vary depending on the population studied. Moreover,
different data between sides and genders have been reported.
Objective : The present study was done to provide the morphometric data of the orbital foramina related to side
and gender in Thai subjects.
Materials and Methods : One hundred orbits from 50 adult dried skulls were used. Gender of each skull was
identified and the distances from the constant landmarks to the foramina in the medial, superior, inferior, and
lateral walls were measured.
Results : In the medial wall, the mean distances from the anterior lacrimal crest to the optic canal (OC),
anterior, and posterior ethmoidal foramina were 42.2, 23.5, and 36.0 mm for both sides and genders, respectively.
The average distances from the supraorbital notch/foramen in the roof to the superior orbital fissure (SOF),
OC, and lacrimal foramen were 44.7, 40.0, and 33.6 mm, respectively. In the inferior wall, the distances from
the infraorbital rim to the OC, inferior orbital fissure (IOF), and the posterior edge of roof of the infraorbital
canal were 46.2, 21.7, and 12.3 mm, respectively. The distances from the frontozygomatic suture to the OC,
SOF, IOF, and LF were 46.9, 34.5, 24.0, and 27.2 mm, respectively. When compared to those of the previous
reports, several considerable differences that may be of clinical importance were observed. Moreover, some
distances were significantly different between sides or genders.
Conclusion : The present results suggest that race, side, and gender should be concerned during the orbital
surgery and the data are good references for Thai subjects.
Keywords : Orbit, Anatomy, Foramina, Fissure, Thai
