Abstract
The infraorbital canal (IOC) normally courses above the maxillary sinus in the orbit floor. During a retrospective study of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, we found a previously unknown variant of the IOC. The IOCs were absent, being replaced by lateroantral canals coursing around and not above the maxillary sinus to open at infraorbital foramina which were located above the second upper premolar teeth. On coronal multiplanar reconstructions, the lateroantral canals were located anatomically at the outer limit of the zygomatic recess of each maxillary sinus, while the upper wall of the sinus was devoid of any canal. Such rare variant should be kept in mind by dental practitioners and surgeons, as it can determine modifications of common procedures. In this regard, the anatomy of maxilla, as well as mandible, should be evaluated in CBCT on a case-by-case basis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agthong S, Huanmanop T, Chentanez V (2005) Anatomical variations of the supraorbital, infraorbital, and mental foramina related to gender and side. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 63(6):800–804. doi:10.1016/j.joms.2005.02.016
Apostolakis D, Brown JE (2013) The dimensions of the mandibular incisive canal and its spatial relationship to various anatomical landmarks of the mandible: a study using cone beam computed tomography. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 28(1):117–124. doi:10.11607/jomi.2372
Bergman RA, Afifi AK, Miyauchi R (1995) Illustrated encyclopedia of human anatomic variation: Opus V: skeletal systems: cranium. http://www.anatomyatlases.org/AnatomicVariants/SkeletalSystem/Text/Maxilla.shtml. Accessed 28 Mar 2015
Canan S, Asim OM, Okan B, Ozek C, Alper M (1999) Anatomic variations of the infraorbital foramen. Ann Plast Surg 43(6):613–617
Chrcanovic BR, Abreu MH, Custodio AL (2011) A morphometric analysis of supraorbital and infraorbital foramina relative to surgical landmarks. Surg Radiol Anat 33(4):329–335. doi:10.1007/s00276-010-0698-1
Cutright B, Quillopa N, Schubert W (2003) An anthropometric analysis of the key foramina for maxillofacial surgery. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 61(3):354–357. doi:10.1053/joms.2003.50070
Hindy AM, Abdel-Raouf F (1993) A study of infraorbital foramen, canal and nerve in adult Egyptians. Egypt Dent J 39(4):573–580
Hwang SH, Kim SW, Park CS, Kim SW, Cho JH, Kang JM (2013) Morphometric analysis of the infraorbital groove, canal, and foramen on three-dimensional reconstruction of computed tomography scans. Surg Radiol Anat 35(7):565–571. doi:10.1007/s00276-013-1077-5
Kapila S, Conley RS, Harrell WE Jr (2011) The current status of cone beam computed tomography imaging in orthodontics. Dentomaxillofac Radiol 40(1):24–34. doi:10.1259/dmfr/12615645
Kazkayasi M, Ergin A, Ersoy M, Tekdemir I, Elhan A (2003) Microscopic anatomy of the infraorbital canal, nerve, and foramen. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 129(6):692–697
Kjaer I (1998) Neuro-osteology. Crit Rev Oral Biol Med 9(2):224–244
Lawson W, Patel ZM, Lin FY (2008) The development and pathologic processes that influence maxillary sinus pneumatization. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 291(11):1554–1563. doi:10.1002/ar.20774
Leo JT, Cassell MD, Bergman RA (1995) Variation in human infraorbital nerve, canal and foramen. Ann Anat 177(1):93–95. doi:10.1016/S0940-9602(11)80139-1
Michalek P, Donaldson W, McAleavey F, Johnston P, Kiska R (2013) Ultrasound imaging of the infraorbital foramen and simulation of the ultrasound-guided infraorbital nerve block using a skull model. Surg Radiol Anat 35(4):319–322. doi:10.1007/s00276-012-1039-3
Parnia F, Moslehifard E, Hafezeqoran A, Mahboub F, Mojaver-Kahnamoui H (2012) Characteristics of anatomical landmarks in the mandibular interforaminal region: a cone-beam computed tomography study. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal 17(3):e420–e425
Rusu MC (2011) Doubled foramen rotundum and maxillary nerve fenestration. Surg Radiol Anat 33(8):723–726. doi:10.1007/s00276-011-0810-1
Rusu MC, Didilescu AC, Jianu AM, Paduraru D (2013) 3D CBCT anatomy of the pterygopalatine fossa. Surg Radiol Anat 35(2):143–159. doi:10.1007/s00276-012-1009-9
Satwik A, Kumar S (2014) Anatomical variations of supraorbital, infraorbital and mental foramen based on gender and side—a review. J Pharm Sci Res 6(1):60–62
Song WC, Kim SH, Paik DJ, Han SH, Hu KS, Kim HJ, Koh KS (2007) Location of the infraorbital and mental foramen with reference to the soft-tissue landmarks. Plast Reconstr Surg 120(5):1343–1347. doi:10.1097/01.prs.0000279558.86727.5a
Tubbs RS, Loukas M, May WR, Cohen-Gadol AA (2010) A variation of the infraorbital nerve: its potential clinical consequence especially in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: case report. Neurosurgery 67(3 Suppl Operative):onsE315. doi:10.1227/01.NEU.0000374675.19487.FA (discussion onsE315)
Conflict of interest
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
All the authors have equally contributed to this study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rusu, M.C., Săndulescu, M. & Ilie, O.C. Infraorbital canal bilaterally replaced by a lateroantral canal. Surg Radiol Anat 37, 1149–1153 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-015-1468-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-015-1468-x