BACKGROUND Nutrient foramen is a large opening that transfers the arteries that supply the bone to the bone cavity. During surgical procedures, it is very important to have precise and complete information about the location of the foramina to determine whether the fracture line passes close to the nutrient foramina. The purpose of this study was to determine the number and position of the femoral nutrient foramina together with morphometric measurements. METHODS A total of 93 dry adult femurs with unknown sexes were examined in this study. The direction, location and the total number of nutrient foramina of the femur were investigated by using an anthropometer (Lafayette instrument, Indiana). Also, foraminal index was calculated. RESULTS The analysis revealed that 28 (53.8 %) of the femurs with a single nutrient foramen were on the right side and 22 (53.7 %) were on the left side, respectively. Femurs with double nutrient foramina were 23 (44.2 %) and 18 (43.9 %) on right and left sides, respectively. Femurs with triple nutrient foramina were 1(1.9 %) and 1 (2.4 %) on right and left sides, respectively. The foraminal index of femurs was found as (41, 58 %) and (42, 23 %) on the right and left sides, respectively. The nutrient foramen was mostly 84 (90.3 %) located at the middle third of the femur. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study provide information and details about nutrient foramen which have clinical importance, especially in surgical procedures like bone grafting and microsurgical vascularized bone transplantation. KEY WORDS Femur, Foraminal Index, Nutrient Artery, Nutrient Foramina

The latissimus dorsi is the largest muscle in the human body, located in the lower posterior thorax, and it contributes to motion in the upper extremity and provides assistance in respiration. This case report describes a rare occurrence of a unilateral absence of the latissimus dorsi accompanied by contralateral scoliosis in a 73-year-old female cadaver. The absence of the muscle along with the absence of the thoracodorsal nerve and branches of the subscapular and axillary arteries was identified during a standard dissection course. The implications of this rare case extend to an array of surgical interventions, including head, neck, breast, and torso reconstructive applications. It is important to investigate potential anomalies of the latissimus dorsi, while planning or performing free flap transfers. The report also highlights the importance of understanding this variation for educational and research purposes.