Fossa navicularis magna
Fossa navicularis magna (also known as pharyngeal fossa or phyaryngeal fovela) is a variant bony depression found at the midline of the occipital part of clivus. This fossa was first described by Tourtual.[1] Its prevalence ranges from 0.9 to 5.3%.[2]
Structure
Fossa navicularis magna is located on the anterior surface or pharyngeal surface of the clivus. Its position when present is between the spheno-occipital synchondrosis and the foramen magnum. Size of this fossa varies considerably and its depth ranges from 3.49 to 4.94 mm.[3] A histological study reported the presence of loose connective tissue containing collagen and elastic fibers within the fossa navicularis magna.[4]
Development
Two theories have been proposed to explain the formation of fossa navicularis magna. It is believed that the fossa is formed as a remnant of the notochord or residue of the channels for emissary veins.[5]
Clinical significance
Different pathologies were found associated with fossa navicularis magna including cancers, adenoid hypertrophy, ecchordosis physaliphora, Tornwaldt cyst and Rathke cleft cyst.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Tourtual, Caspar Theobald; Royal College of Surgeons of England (1846). Neue Untersuchungen über den Bau des menschlichen Schlund- und Kehlkopfes : mit vergleichend anatomischen Bemerkungen. Royal College of Surgeons of England. Leipzig : Otto Wigand.
- ^ Sheikh, Sarvenaz; Iwanaga, Joe; Rostad, Steven; Rustagi, Tarush; Oskouian, Rod J.; Tubbs, R. Shane (2017-05-31). "The First Histological Analysis of the Tissues Lining the Fossa Navicularis: Insights to its Etiology". Cureus. 9 (5): e1299. doi:10.7759/cureus.1299. ISSN 2168-8184. PMC 5493477. PMID 28680787.
- ^ Bayrak, Seval; Göller Bulut, Duygu; Orhan, Kaan (2019-04-01). "Prevalence of anatomical variants in the clivus: fossa navicularis magna, canalis basilaris medianus, and craniopharyngeal canal". Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 41 (4): 477–483. doi:10.1007/s00276-019-02200-3. ISSN 1279-8517. PMID 30725217. S2CID 59606371.
- ^ Alalade, Andrew F.; Briganti, Giovanni; Mckenzie, Jo-Lyn; Gandhi, Mitesh; Amato, Damian; Panizza, Benedict J.; Bowman, James (2018-11-01). "Fossa navicularis in a pediatric patient: anatomical skull base variant with clinical implications". Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics. 22 (5): 523–527. doi:10.3171/2018.5.PEDS18157. ISSN 1933-0715. PMID 30052117. S2CID 207716490.
- ^ Adanir, Saliha S.; Bahşi, Ilhan; Kervancioğlu, Piraye; Orhan, Mustafa; Aslan Öztürk, Elif M.; Yalçin, Eda D.; Topsakal, Vedat (2022). "Radiologic Evaluation of the Fossa Navicularis on Dry Skull: A Comparative CBCT Study". Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. 34 (3): 1085–1088. doi:10.1097/SCS.0000000000009069. ISSN 1049-2275. PMID 36217219. S2CID 252817976.
- ^ Murjani, Bhavana; Bhosale, Rohini; Ramaswami, Easwaran; Kadam, Sonali; Ramchandani, Amit (2021). "Anatomical variations of clivus: a descriptive anatomical study". Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy. 43 (6): 945–951. doi:10.1007/s00276-021-02686-w. ISSN 1279-8517. PMID 33483831. S2CID 231682612.