PTERION: A SITE FOR NEUROSURGICAL APPROACH

Abstract

Pterion is defined as point of sutural confluence seen in the normal ateralis of the skull where frontal, parietal, temporal and sphenoid bones meet. It is a commonly used neurosurgical landmark. The anatomic location of the pterion is important in surgical interventions following surgical approaches to the anterior and middle cranial fossae, following extradural hemorrhage as well as tumors involving inferior aspects of the frontal lobe, such as olfactory meningioma, used in operations on the Broca's motor speech area and in repairing aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery as well as those of the upper basilar complex and also the anatomical varieties of the pterion, is of interest mainly to anthropologists and forensic pathologists, for assessing the location of the pterion in incomplete archeological remains or forensic materials. The pterion exhibits population-based variations. The aim of the study is to determine the position of the pterion using the midpoint of the zygoma (MPZ) and the frontozygomatic suture (FZS) as palpable points.In the present study seventy dry skulls (34 male and 36 female) were used. The dry skulls were obtained from the department of anatomy, K M C Mangalore, Manipal University. Only the intact skulls were included in the study. The sexing was done on the morphological basis. The Distance between pterion to FZS and pterion to MPZ of right and left side of the male skull bones when compared with the right and left side of female skull bones showed statistically significant side difference among male and female bones.