Morphometric Study of Nutrient Foramen of the Dried Human Tibiae

Abstract

Background: Nutrient foramen is an opening over which the nutrient artery enters and supplies the shaft of the long bones. The nutrient foramen usually lies near the soleal line and transmits a branch of the posterior tibial artery. The posterior tibial artery is a branch from the popliteal artery. The nutrient vessel may also arise at the level of the popliteal bifurcation or as a branch from the anterior tibial artery.Methods: The present study was conducted on 200 dry human tibia bones of unknown sex and age. The tibia bones were observed for nutrient foramen macroscopically.Results: In our study the right sided 7 tibia bones and 6 left sided tibia bones have double nutrient foramen. The position of the nutrient foramen in the upper 1/3 rd is observed in 77.47% tibia and in the middle 1/3 rd in 17.84% of the tibia.The direction of the nutrient foramen is downwards in all the tibia bones Conclusions: The tibia is the most commonly fractured long bone and contributes significantly to the fracture care worldwide. Fracture of the tibia through the nutrient canal disrupts the blood flow in the nutrient artery, thus contributing delayed union and non-union of the bone. Knowledge of the blood supply and location of nutrient foramen is important in the treatment and planning of surgery in fractures.

Anatomical study of nutrient foramen in lower limb dry long bones

“…Clinical knowledge of the size, number and location of nutrient foramen is important as it may differ in growing and non-growing end of the long bone and procedures such as joint replacement therapy, fracture repair, bone grafts and vascularized bone microsurgery. 2,18 One of the predisposing factor for malunion or non-union is the accidental manipulation or injury to nutrient artery providing nutrition to long bones. Healing of fracture mainly depends on bone vasculature.…”

anatomical study of the nutrient foramen of adult human Tibia

“…Nutrient arteries are in fact the main source of blood supply to long and specially young bones. (1,2,3) Many studies have been performed on nutrient foramina but it was Antonie van Leeuwenhoek who first identified nutrient foramen in the tibia of a calf in 1674. (4) Nutrient arteries enter the bone through Nutrient foramina; location, number and direction of which may vary in the same bones of every individual.…”