European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Background: Skull base (SB) injuries happens mostly either in the thinnest or the least resistant part of skull base. The lateral lamella of cribriform plate is one of the common sites of injury during endoscopic anterior skull base surgeries. The anterior ethmoidartery (AEA) visualization is considered as a significant anatomical landmark in such surgeries. Studies correlating their positional relation with morphology of olfactory fossa remain limited. This study aims to look into the relation of AEA to that of SB in different types of olfactory fossa morphology. Materials and methods: A surveying radiological study was conducted on 90 coronal CT images from patients who were exposed to paranasal CT imaging in a tertiary care teaching hospital. The examination included all CT images as well as an indication of sinusitis. The exclusion being changed skull base anatomy as a result of previous surgical intervention, injury, or tumour, and age less than 18 years. RadiAnt Dicom viewer was used to inspect the images. [8] The position of AEA in relation to SB was identified in the bone window of coronal CT scans. On each side, it was divided as at SB or below SB. the longitudinal distance from AEA to SB was evaluated separately. Depending up on the distance of AEA from SB, 3 groups were sectioned as follows: set A - < 2.5 mm, set B – 2.5 to 5 mm and set C - > 5 mm. Result: In our present study of 90 patients, number of male patient was 58 (64.4%) whereas number of female patient was 32 (35.6%) [Table 1]. Age of patient was from 18 years to 80years. anterior ethmoidal artery canal was seen in 30% (27) scan. Most of those were complete type.  Anterior ethmoidal foramen was seen in 90% (81) of CT scan. Supraorbital pneumatisation was seen in 40% (36) scan [Table 2]. Conclusion: It was concluded that notch which was present in the medial wall of orbit was a very good landmark to locate anterior ethmoidal artery and it was found in 98% of cases and in 28% of CT scan supraorbital pneumatisation was found which has a very close relationship with visualization of anterior ethmoidal artery canal.