Orbital Fissures in South Indian Skulls: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Morphological and Morphometric Analysis
International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine,
Vol. 16 (2026),
29 December 2025
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijmtfm.v16.51380
Abstract
Background: The middle cerebral fossa is accessible from several foramina in orbit. They are referred to as Warwick's foramen, orbito-meningeal foramen, and metopic canal in addition to superior orbital fissure, inferior orbital fissure, and optic canal. Anatomists, ophthalmologists, and maxillofacial surgeons might benefit from the morphometric assessment of orbital fissures in order to prevent damage to the neurovascular bundles that travel through these fissures. To study the dimensions and variations in shape of superior orbital fissure (SOF) and inferior orbital fissure (IOF).
Methods: The Department of Anatomy at the Akash Institute of Medical Sciences in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, carried out a cross-sectional study between February 2023 and March 2024. Sixty-six dry human skulls were measured for superior and inferior orbital fissure diameters using a needle divider and manual Vernier callipers. The SOF and IOF morphologies were examined and categorized into various kinds for every orbit. The length and width of the SOF and IOF were among the parameters assessed bilaterally. Nine distinct morphological kinds of SOF and six morphological types of IOF were identified. Applications included descriptive statistics and the Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results: The most prevalent SOF shape in the current present study was Type VI. The most common IOF shapes were Type I-right and Type II bilaterally, which appeared in 19 orbits out of 66 skulls (28.8%), with 30 orbits on the left (45.5%) and 27 orbits on the right (40.9%).The mean length of SOF was 13.80 mm on the right side and 13.91 mm on the left side. The mean breadth of SOF was 5.90 mm on the right side and 5.84 mm on the left side. The mean length of IOF was 22.21 mm on the right side and 20.98 mm on the left side. The mean breadth of IOF was 6.31 mm on the right side and 6.18 mm on the left side.
Conclusion: The morphometry of orbital fissures would facilitate a smooth surgical approach and the design of eye protective equipment.
- Superior Orbital Fissure (SOF), Inferior Orbital Fissure (IOF), Dimensions, Shape
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References
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