Peculiarities of organometric parameters of the hard palate in the second and third trimester of the intrauterine development and newborns

Abstract

Finding anatomical variability of organs, structures and their parts at all the stages of human development is rather topical. Determination of organometric parameters of the hard palate in fetuses and newborns is an essential part for perinatal diagnostics and understanding real parameters of the norm and pathology. Purpose of the study is to find organometric parameters of the palatine maxillary process and horizontal lamina of the palatine bone during fetal and early neonatal periods of human ontogenesis. By means of adequate anatomical methods of examination the study was conducted on 53 specimens of dead fetuses from 4 to 10 months of fetal development (from 165.0 mm to 500.0 mm of the parietal-calcaneal length (PCL)) and 9 specimens of dead neonates. The length of the palatine maxillary process during the perinatal period was found to be characterized by the two periods of accelerated development (5-7 and 8-10 months), and the period of relatively slow development (7-8 months). Its width was found to be characterized by the two period of accelerated development (5-7 and 9-10 months), and relatively slow development (7-8 months). The length of the horizontal lamina of the palatine bone is characterized by the period of accelerated development from 8 to 10 months, and the period of relatively slow development from 7 to 8 months. Meanwhile 5-8 and 9-10 months were the periods of accelerated development for its width, and 8-9 months – the period of relatively slow development for it. During fetal and early neonatal periods of human ontogenesis the value of all the paired correlation coefficients between organometric parameters of the palatine maxillary process (hard palate) and horizontal lamina of the palatine bone are positive and rather close to 1 (>0.84), which is indicative of a close positive correlation between all the organometric parameters. Very strong relation is found between the length of the hard palate and its width in the right and left (r=0.92), between the length of the hard palate and palatine bone (r=0.97), between the length of the palatine bone and the width of the hard palate in the right (r=0.91) and in the left (r=0.90). Therefore, by means of adequate anatomical methods of examination new scientifically substantiated data are obtained concerning organometric characteristics of anatomical structures of the hard palate at all the stages of perinatal period.