Zahra Haider Bokhari, Nida Qasim Hayat, Qamar Ashfaq Ahmad, Maria Noman, Mahjabeen Muneera, Raafea Tafweez Kuraishi.
The Supratrochlear Foramen of Humerus: a Human Anatomic Study.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;12(3):980-2.

Background: Supratrochlear foramen is an aperture which may be present at the lower end of the humerus. It results when a thin plate of bone separating the olecranon from the coronoid fossae gets perforated. Its exact etiology is not known but it is a neglected entity of immense clinical importance. Aim : To study the incidence and describe the features of supratrochlear foramen in dried humeri available in the bone bank of Anatomy department . Methods: The study was carried out on 200 dried human humeri taken from the bone bank of King Edward Medical University. Shape of the foramen was observed , the dimensions of the foramen and the distance of the margins of the foramen to the two epicondyles was measured with a vernier caliper. In the bones where the foramen was absent the opacity/ translucency / transparency of the bony septum was observed. Results: The supratrochlear foramen was present in 17% bones and was more common on the left side. An oval shape was present in 9.5% bones followed by a round and irregular one. In majority of bones the supratrochlear septum was opaque. The mean vertical and transverse diameters were 3.8 mm and 5.2 mm respectively. Conclusions: The knowledge about the existence of supratrochlear foramen is important for the Anatomists, Radiologists, Anthropologists and Orthopedic surgeons. The knowledge of its presence in the humerus may be particularly beneficial to the orthopedic surgeons in preoperative planning of intramedullary nailing in supracondylar fractures of humerus.

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