Background and Aim The foramen ovale is a clinically significant foramen present in the skull base. The mandibular nerve is an important structure traversing this foramen and the trigeminal ganglion is also located just above the foramen ovale in the Meckel's cave. These two structures are targeted by neurosurgeons and pain physicians in patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Clinical procedures for treating trigeminal neuralgia necessitate very precise knowledge about the foramen ovale. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate the morphology and morphometry of foramen ovale and its variations in dry skulls of India. Materials and Methods This study was conducted in 100 adult dry skulls of either sex. The foramen ovale was assessed for morphology and morphometry bilaterally using digital Vernier calipers. The summary data for all the measurements are presented in this study. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 19. Results The most common shape of the foramen ovale was found to be oval. Oval-shaped foramen ovale was present in 72% (right side) and 68% (left side) of dry skulls that were examined. A mean length of 6.62 ± 1.11 mm (right side) and 6.72 ± 1.08 mm (left side) and width of 3.78 ± 0.89 mm (right side) and 3.89 ± 0.73 mm (left side) were observed. The distance between the foramen ovale and the zygomatic point was 35.65 ± 3.24 mm (right side) and 34.91 ± 2.58 mm (left side). The distance between the zygomatic point and the anterior margin of the external auditory meatus was 21.79 ± 3.25 mm (right side) and 18.62 ± 2.37 mm (left side). Conclusion An in-depth knowledge of the morphology and morphometry which include the different metric and nonmetric parameters and the variations in foramen ovale in dry skulls has been studied, which will be helpful to neurosurgeons and pain physicians to plan their clinical procedures which involve the base of skull.

Background and aims: The third trochanter is defined as the osseous tubercule in the superior part of the gluteal tuberosity. The occurrence of third trochanter might have been due to the consequence of the relative strengthening of gluteus maximus muscle in human beings. The present study was undertaken on the femora of northern Tamil Nadu region with the aim to determine the frequency of third trochanter of femur in this region and to compare it with occurrence in other series. Material and methods: The study was carried out on a collection of 153 dried adult femora of unknown age and sex available at the departments of Anatomy of Annapoorana Medical College and Vinayaka Mission's Homeopathy Medical College, Salem, Tamil Nadu, India. Results: Out of total 153 femora studied, the presence of third trochanter was noticed in 21 femora (13.72%). Out of these 15.71% were femora of the right side and 12.04% were of the left side. The average length and breadth of the third trochanters were 19.80±5.22 mm and 7.63±1.75 mm respectively Conclusion: The occurrence of the third trochanter was considerably higher among right femora than the femora of the left side. The average length of the third trochanters was found to be more on the right side and average width was more on the left side. This may be due to functional difference between the right and left gluteus maximii muscles.

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