A Study of Nutrient Foramina in Human Upper Limb Long Bones

Abstract

BACKGROUND Nutrient foramina are cavities that conduct nutrient arteries and peripheral nerves on the shaft of long bones. Long bones receive most of the interosseous blood supply from nutrient arteries and sometimes through the periosteal vessels. The aim of this study was to determine the common location, direction & number of nutrient foramina of upper limb long bones. MATERIALS & METHODS This is descriptive study of a total 150 human upper limb long bones {50 humeri, 50 radii & 50 ulnae} taken from Department of Anatomy, Guntur Medical College, Guntur and each was studied for location, direction & number of nutrient foramina. RESULTS In humerus, a single nutrient foramen was found in 78% and double in 22% of bones, of them 62% foramina were on antero-medial surface, 25% on medial border, 5% on anterior border, 5% on posterior surface & 3% on lateral border. 87% of nutrient foramina were in middle third of shaft of humerus. All radii had single nutrient foramen, of them 70% were on anterior surface & 30% on interosseous border. 74% of nutrient foramina were in middle third & 26% were in upper third of shaft of radius. 98% of ulnae had single nutrient foramen & 2% had double nutrient foramina, of them 78.4% were on anterior surface, 11.8% on posterior surface, 5.9% on interosseous border & 3.9% on anterior border. 88.2% of nutrient foramina were in middle third & 11.8% in upper third of bone. All nutrient foramina were directed away from the growing end i.e., towards the elbow. CONCLUSION The study of nutrient foramina is of clinical importance in surgical procedures like orthopedic transplant techniques & microvascular bone transfer procedures.

Topography and indexing of the nutrient foramina of the adult long bones

“…Similarly, radii had most of the nutrient foramina on the anterior surface (84.6%) followed by the posterior surface (12.8%). Challa et al 21 reported similar findings 70.0% and 30.0% in the anterior surfaces and medial border respectively. Ulnae had all their foramina on the anterior surface while Challa and Nanna 21 reported 78.4% foramina on their anterior surface only.…”