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. 2024;71(3.4):273-278.
doi: 10.2152/jmi.71.273.

Location of ethmoidal arteries in relation to ethmoid cells and the anterior skull base

Seiichiro Kamimura  1 , Keisuke Ishitani  1 , Hitoshi Shono  1 , Ryo Kanamura  1 , Tatsuya Fujii  2 , Eiji Kondo  1 , Takahiro Azuma  1 , Go Sato  1 , Yoshiaki Kitamura  1
Affiliations
Free article

Location of ethmoidal arteries in relation to ethmoid cells and the anterior skull base

Seiichiro Kamimura et al. J Med Invest. 2024.
Free article

Abstract

Background: Ethmoidal arteries are at risk of accidental injury during endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).

Aims/objectives: We aimed to examine the location of ethmoidal arteries in relation to ethmoid cells and the anterior skull base (ASB) in Japanese patients.

Material and methods: CT images of 100 sides of 50 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The location of anterior ethmoidal arteries (AEAs), middle ethmoidal arteries (MEAs) and posterior ethmoidal arteries (PEAs) in relation to ethmoidal cells and their distance from the ASB were evaluated.

Results: AEAs and PEAs were present in all sides. 60% of AEAs and 9% of PEAs ran below the level of ASB. MEAs were present in 21 sides and ran below the ASB in 23.8% (5/21) of these sides. The incidence of AEAs running below the level of ASB was significantly higher in the sides with supraorbital ethmoid cells (SOECs) than in those without SOECs.

Conclusion and significance: This study revealed the position and the distance from ASB of AEAs, PEAs, and MEAs in relation to ethmoid cells in Japanese patients. In cases with SOECs, surgeons should be careful not to injure the AEAs running below the level of ASB. J. Med. Invest. 71 : 273-278, August, 2024.

Keywords: anterior skull base; ethmoid cells; ethomoidal arteries.

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