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Objective- To conduct the morphometric study of foramen ovale in human sphenoid bone and present the anatomic variations in dimensions and appearance of foramen ovale. Methodology : The study was carried out using 35 dried human skulls available in the Department of Anatomy ,School of Medical Sciences and Research, Greater Noida, UP, India. Variations in size , shape were noted. Comparision with other races and difference between right and left sides were discussed. Results-out of 70 sides in 35 adult dry skulls, mean length and width of foramen ovale was 7.228±1.139mm & 3.57±0.70mm on right side and 6.48±1.131mm & 3.50±0.75mm on left side. Shape of the foramen ovale was typically oval in 54.29%, almond shape in 35.71%, round in 8.57% and slit like in 1.43%.Margins of the foramen exhibited variable projections 4.2% had spines, 5.7% tubercles, 8.5% had bony plate. Conclusion -This study is of great surgical, anatomical and diagnostic importance in cases of trigeminal neuralgia, fine needle aspiration technique in perineural spread of tumor and in neurovascular compression due to abnormal bony growth.
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