A morphological study on the sphenoid bone ligaments’ ossification pattern

• Published in: Surgical and radiologic anatomy (English ed.) 2023-11, Vol.45 (11), p.1405-1417
• Main Authors: Piagkou, Maria, Fiska, Aliki, Tsakotos, George, Triantafyllou, George, Politis, Constantinus, Koutserimpas, Christos, Skrzat, Janusz, Olewnik, Lukasz, Zielinska, Nicole, Tousia, Athina, Kostares, Michael, Totlis, Trifon, Triantafyllou, Anastasia, Al Nasraoui, Katerina, Karampelias, Vasilios, Tsiouris, Christos, Natsis, Konstantinos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Anatomy; Imaging; Ligaments; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original; Original Article; Orthopedics; Ossification; Radiology; Skull; Surgery
• ISSN: 1279-8517; 0930-1038; 1279-8517
• DOI: 10.1007/s00276-023-03226-4

Purpose The sphenoid bone (SB) extracranial ligaments (ECRLs) are the pterygoalar and pterygospinous ligaments (PTAL and PTSL) that are located at the SB lateral pterygoid plate, and inferior to the foramen ovale (FO). Their ossification may affect the mandibular nerve’s distribution. The intracranial ligaments’ (ICRLs) ossification (the caroticoclinoid ligament—CCLL, the anterior and posterior interclinoid ligaments—AICLL and PICLL) may impede the approaches to the sella. This study highlights the incidence of the ossified ECRLs and ICRLs location, their type (partial, or complete), considering laterality, gender, age, and ligaments’ simultaneous presence. Methods The sample consisted of 156 Greek adult dried skulls of both genders and variable age. Results Ossified ligaments were identified in 57.05%, predominantly extracranially (42.31%, P  = 0.003). ECRLs were predominantly identified unilaterally (30.13%, P