Foramen of Vesalius

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency of unilateral or bilateral foramen of Vesalius FV, number of FV present on one side, and presence of a septum on FV.

METHODS: We bilaterally examined, 347 sphenoid bones of collections of the Department of Anatomy, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul and Dokuz Eylul Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey in 2007.

RESULTS: Of the 347 bilaterally examined skulls, 87 25.1% had bilateral FV, 191 55% specimens did not have any FV on both sides, and 69 specimens 19.9% had unilateral FV 33 skulls had FV on the right side, and the remaining 36 skulls had FV on the left. Of the 156 skulls which had FV, only 4 skulls 3 on the right, one on the left had double FV on the same side. We have not observed any specimens which had 3 or more FV on the same side. Of the 156 skulls which had FV, 11 skulls had a septum on FV, 3 skulls had a septum on FV on the right side, and 6 skulls had a septum on FV on the left side. Two skulls bilaterally had a septum on both sides.

CONCLUSION: We believe that our data about FV will be enlightening not only for anatomists, but also for clinicians.