Abstract

Background: The knowledge of the ossified ligaments in the base of the skull is of utmost important for anatomical, clinical and anthropological correlations. One such ligament extending from the lateral pterygoid plate to the under surface of greater wing of sphenoid is named as Pterygoalar ligament and is named as Pterygoalar bar after its partial or complete ossification. This Pterygoalar bar is of great significance as it obscure the view of foramen ovale to approach it for anaesthetic , therapeutic purpose either suprazygomatic or infrazygomatic via. Also its enclosed foramen crotaphitico buccinatorius which is comparatively smaller than any other foramen may compress the structures passing through it, probably the structures emerging out of foramen ovale may take up a route via this foramen and get entrapped, which may lead to either neurovascular compression disorder. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of thickened bony bar, pterygoalar bony bridges and to analyze morphometrically the homonyms foramen in a collection of contemporary skulls and discuss their clinical implications. Materials and Methods: The present study was performed with 90 dried adult human skulls. Base of the skull was examined with naked eye, on both the sides for the presence of abnormal osseous structures from the lateral pterygoid plate. Results and Discussion: In the current study, we presented only one skull with unilateral complete pterygoalar bar and 11 skulls with unilateral incomplete pterygoalar bar. The pterygoalar bar and pterygoalar foramen are rare clinical features but their presence may be of clinical importance in the event of trigeminal nerve injection or anaesthesia.

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