Greater palatine foramen: assessment with palatal index, shape, number and gender

Abstract

Background: Accurate knowledge of location and relation with different parameters of the greater palatine foramen (GPF) is a crucial necessity in performing a variety of anaesthesiological, dental and surgical procedures. The main aim of this study was to identify the GPF's locations, numbers and shapes via associating with gender and palatal indices and compare with literature results. Materials and methods: This study was held on the cranium collections of the many anatomy departments in Turkey. Various metric assessments were observed on sexed, dry, total of 97 craniums. Results: Thirty-eight male cranium observed and mean values of palatal indices was 86.28 ± 10.75 and for 48 female craniums mean value for palatal indices was 81.06 ± 10.56. Location of GPF observed bilaterally and mostly found near the third upper molar in either of both males and females. It was 62.7% (right), 60.9% (left) for male craniums and 49.0% (right) and 47.1% (left) for female craniums observed near the lateral border of upper third molar. GPF found oval shape for male craniums 62.8% (right) and 61.0% (left) and for female craniums 66.0% (right) and 66.0% (left). Conclusions: These results were compared with already existing anatomical data in other races and populations. These results would have great clinical influence in localising the palatine foramina toward better palatal area surgical approaches to and anaesthetise this area.

Anatomical Study on Location of Greater Palatine Foramen in Dried Adult Human Skull: Key to Successful Maxillary Nerve Block

“…But at the same time it is also important to locate it precisely to perform the maxillary nerve block to achieve the profound anaesthesiaof hemi maxilla [6]. The importance of GPF is not only confined to the successful outcome of oral and maxillofacial surgeries, it is also reported that stimulation of pterygopalatine ganglion through this foramen is utilized for relieving the effects of paralysis in paralytic patients and also for patient interventions in cases of cerebral vasospasmor cluster and migraine headache [7]. Standard text book of anatomy and anesthesiology mention the location of GPF as behind or posterolateral to the alveolar process of maxilla.…”

New accessory palatine canals and foramina in cone-beam computed tomography

“…Many studies investigated neurovascular structures in the anterior maxilla which may show different variations. Greater palatine canal and Nasopalatine canal are from those structures [21,28,[34][35][36][37]. Variants such as accessory canal of canalis spinuosus was studied by many investigators.…”

“…In the posterior region of the hard palate, the greater palatine and lesser palatine canals and foramina were studied for their anatomical features [18,28,34,36]. The greater palatine nerve canal as an important maxillary anatomical landmark is located bilaterally.…”

Anatomy of the greater palatine foramen and canal and their clinical significance in relation to the greater palatine artery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The results of the meta-analysis regarding the distance between the greater palatine foramen and surrounding anatomical landmarks are presented in Table 4 . A total of 8 studies [ 8 , 11 , 29 , 35 , 56 , 63 , 77 , 83 ] ( n = 2358 subjects) reported data on the distance from the greater palatine foramen to the posterior nasal spine (GPF–PNS). The pooled mean, across the eight studies, was calculated to be 17.21 mm (95% CI = 16.34–18.09 mm).…”

“…A total of 38 studies [ 1 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 16 , 19 – 22 , 27 , 29 , 36 – 38 , 40 – 45 , 48 , 56 – 59 , 63 , 65 , 66 , 73 , 77 , 80 – 85 ] ( n = 5479 subjects) reported data on the distance from the greater palatine foramen to the median maxillary suture (GPF–MMS). The pooled mean, across the 38 studies, was calculated to be 15.22 mm (95% CI = 15.00–15.43 mm).…”