European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Background: The foramen vesalius is a small and inconstant opening in the sphenoid bone of the middle cranial fossa that transmits an emissary vein between the cavernous sinus and the pterygoid venous plexus. Because of its close proximity to the foramen ovale, variations in its presence, shape, and size are clinically important, especially during neurosurgical and percutaneous procedures involving the skull base. Inadvertent injury to this foramen may lead to serious complications such as cavernous sinus damage. However, data on its morphological and morphometric variations are limited, particularly from eastern India. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to analyse the incidence, morphology, and dimensions of the foramen vesalius in adult human dry skulls. Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 60 adult human dry skulls (120 sides) obtained from the Department of Anatomy, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar. Skulls with intact middle cranial fossae were included. Each skull was examined for the presence, laterality, shape, and duplication of the foramen vesalius. Patency was confirmed using a thin copper wire. The maximum diameter was measured using a digital vernier calliper. Data were analysed using SPSS version 14.0. Descriptive statistics were applied, side-wise comparisons were performed using the Chi-square test and Student’s t-test, and a p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The foramen vesalius was present in 45 out of 120 sides (37.5%). Unilateral presence was more common than bilateral occurrence. The foramen was observed more frequently on the right side than the left, with a statistically significant side-wise difference (p = 0.024). The mean maximum diameter was 0.95 ± 0.60 mm on the right side and 1.05 ± 0.65 mm on the left side, with no significant difference (p = 0.53). Round shape was the most common morphology (66.67%), followed by oval (24.44%) and irregular shapes (8.89%), with no significant side-wise variation (p = 0.296). Conclusion:  The foramen vesalius shows considerable variation in its presence, laterality, shape, and size. Awareness of these variations is essential for anatomists and clinicians to minimise procedural complications involving the middle cranial fossa.