LAUSR

Address for Correspondence: Elangovan. M, Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College & Hospital, Tiruchi -Chennai Highway, Siruvachur, Perambalur, Tamil Nadu 621113, India. E-Mail: [email protected]. Background: Nutrient foramen is a natural opening in the shaft of a bone, allowing for passage of blood vessels into the medullary cavity. The knowledge of nutrient foramen is important in surgical procedures like bone grafting and more recently in microsurgical vascularised bone transplantation. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 173 long bones of the upper limb (55humerus, 59radius, 59-ulna). The number, location, size, position and direction of the diaphysis nutrient foramen in each of the long bones was noted. The foraminal index was also calculated using the Hughes formula. Results: In humerus single nutrient foramen was present in 84% of the bones, double nutrient foramina in 14% of the bones and had no nutrient foramina in 2% of the bones. The most common location of the nutrient foramina in humerus was in Antero medial surface, which was noted in 74% of the bones and in 89% of the bones the nutrient foramen was located in the middle third of the shaft of humerus. In radius, single nutrient foramen was found in 97% of the bones and double nutrient foramina were found in 3% of the bones. The most common location of the nutrient foramen in radius was on the anterior surface, which was noted in 72% of the bones and in 59% of the bones, the nutrient foramen was located in the middle third of the shaft of radius. In ulna, single nutrient foramen was found in 96% of the bones and double nutrient foramina were found in 2% of the bones and had no nutrient foramina in 2% of the bones The most common location of the nutrient foramen in ulna was on the anterior surface, which was noted in 76 % of the bones and in 68% of the bones the nutrient foramen was on the middle third of the shaft of ulna. Conclusion: The precise anatomical knowledge of the nutrient foramen of the long bones of upper limb is important for orthopaedic surgeons during surgical procedures like bone grafting, microsurgical bone transplantation.