Naslov
Clinical significance of a bony canal of the clivus

Autori
Jalšovec, Dubravko ; Vinter, Ivan

Izvornik
European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology (0937-4477) 256 (1999), 3; 160-161

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Occipital bone; Clivus canal; Notochord

Sažetak
In the postmortem skull base of a 50-year-old man we found a canal in the posterior third of the clivus (Fig. 1). The superior opening of the canal was located 7 mm above the anterior margin of the occipital foramen magnum in the middle of the clivus. The inferior opening was situated 2 mm above the border of the occipital foramen. A 1-mm-long and 2-mm large process protruded from the inferior border of the foramen. The inferior opening ended just above this process. The width of the canal was 1.2 mm. The skull was macerated so that we could only speculate about the contents and significance of this canal. Taking into consideration the localization of the canal, we considered two possible explanations: 1. During life the canal contained a vein connecting the basilar plexus with the venous plexus of the vertebral canal. 2. The canal contained remnants of the notochord. The venous system displays a great variability, and hence it is mere speculation to make it responsible for the formation of an osseous canal. The venous system in general develops in the 4th and 5th week of fetal development. The venous system of the skull base and of the vertebral canal develops gradually.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

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