Clinical Aspects of Age-Related Sphenoid Bonestructure Variability in Chi

Abstract

CliniCal asPeCts oF aGe-related sPHenoid Bone struCture VariaBilitY in CHildren a b s t r a C t -Aim of our study was to identify the morphometric variability of the parameters pertaining to the sphenoid bone body structures in children of different ages, in order to improve access to the skull internal base as well as to the adjacent structures during endoscopic interventions. The craniometry method was used to study 87 child skulls, age 1-21, without regard to gender (65 skulls from the fundamental Museum of the Department of Anatomy, the Saratov State Medical University, and 22 skulls from the Department of Normal Anatomy, Military Medical Academy (Saint Petersburg), broken into 6 age periods. The length of the sphenoidal yoke, as well as its width along with the front and back edges, and the length and width of the prechiasmatic sulcus, tuberculum sellae, its width and height, and the length and width of the sella turcica were identified.The results of the study has revealed that most of the examined structures feature stable values until the age of 7 years (linear parameters of the sphenoidal yoke, the width of the prechiasmatic sulcus, the length and width of the saddle tubercle); these anatomical formations show intensive growth only at the age of 8-12. The height of the tuberculum sellae changes at the age of 4-7, reaching the final value; the length of the prechiasmatic sulcus grows at the ages of 4-7 and 13-16 and does not change in adolescence. The width of the Turkish saddle increases at the ages of 4-7 and 13-16; its length features the same values by the age of 12, increasing only within the period of 13-16, reaching stable values in adolescence. K E y w o r d s -sphenoidal yoke, prechiasmatic sulcus, tuberculum sellae, sella turcica, endoscopic interventions.