Literature Review on Morphology and Morphometry of Foramen Ovale in Indian Skulls

Foramen ovale is seen in the base of the skull connecting the infratemporal fossa and middle cranial fossa. Knowledge of the exact location and dimensions of foramen ovale is essential for trigeminal rhizotomy, electroencephalogram of the temporal lobe and endonasal endoscopic trans-sphenoidal approach to the infratemporal fossa. In this literature review, articles reporting morphology, morphometry, and variations of foramen ovale in Indian skulls from standard databases between 1979 and 2022 were selected. The sample size ranged between 20 and 250 skulls. The common shape observed was oval (96.9%) and duplication of foramen ovale was seen commonly on the right-side. The presence of accessory bony structures, namely spine, tubercle, spur, septa and bar was reported but was difficult to compare due to a lack of uniform classification. The length, breadth, and area of foramen ovale ranged from 5.0-8.9 mm, 3.1-6.0 mm, and 19.1-34.2 mm2, respectively. In the majority of the studies, no significant difference was observed in these parameters between the sides and between the sexes. These data will be useful while attempting surgical or invasive procedures in the skull base of Indian subjects and help to avoid damage to the structures passing through the foramen ovale and the resulting complications.