Abstract

Nutrient foramen (NF) conducts blood vessels which are chief nutritional source to bones. The anatomical knowledge of nutrient foramina plays vital role in certain operative procedures to preserve the circulation. Details of NF in metacarpals and metatarsals is essential in reconstruction surgeries. This study designed to assess the architecture of nutrient foramina over metacarpal and metatarsal shafts. For this, a total 400 metacarpal and 400 metatarsal bones were collected. All bones are examined for details of number, position, location and direction of nutrient foramina on shaft. Foraminal index was calculated by using Hughes formula. Majority bones are having single nutrient foramen (79.7% metacarpals, 79.5% metatarsals), double nutrient foramina was situated in very few metacarpals and metatarsals. Nutrient foramina are situated over medial surface of 1st & 2nd metacarpals and 4th &5th metatarsal bones, whereas other bones have nutrient foramina over lateral surface of shaft. The anatomical and morphological details of nutrient foramina is beneficial for orthopedic and plastic surgeries during vascularized bone microsurgery and in bone grafts.

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