Diaphyseal Nutrient Foramina in human upper and lower limb long bones

Abstract

Diaphyseal Nutrient Foramina in Human Upper and Lower Limb Long Bones The aim of the present study was to study the diaphyseal nutrient foramina in human upper and lower limb long bones. The material of the present study consisted of 180 adult human long bones of the upper (30 humeri, 30 radii, 30 ulnae) and lower (30 femora, 30 tibiae, 30 fibulae) limbs. For each bone, the number, position, size, direction and obliquity of their nutrient foramina were studied. With the exception of femur, the majority of nutrient foramina in all bones studied were single in number and were secondary in size. Most of the nutrient foramina were concentrated in the middle third of the bone with the exception of tibia in which nutrient foramina were predominantly observed in its proximal third. Nutrient foramina were mostly located on the anterior surface of the shaft of bones of upper limb and on the posterior surface of the shaft of bones of lower limb. The direction of nutrient foramina followed the growing end theory, with variations in the direction observed in some fibulae. The results of the present study confirmed previous findings regarding the number and position of nutrient foramina in the long bones of the limbs and provided clinical information concerning the nutrient foramina which could be useful as reference for surgical procedures.