Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Submission date: 2024-07-10
Final revision date: 2024-10-16
Acceptance date: 2024-10-17
Online publication date: 2025-02-13
Corresponding author
Jan Sienicki
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland, Warszawska 30, 11-041, Olsztyn, Poland
Introduction: Middle clinoid process (MCP) is a very important structure in surgeries performed on the parasellar and sellar regions. MCP is a bony eminence located on the body of the sphenoid, posteriorly to the anterior clinoid process and anteriorly to the posterior clinoid process. It becomes clinically important when it reaches the height of at least 1.5 mm. It can form many variations, the most common is the caroticoclinoid foramen.
Aim: To evaluate detailed knowledge, profound understanding of MCP and its role during parasellar region operations.
Case study: During studies at Department of Anatomy, a dry skull specimen projecting bilaterally clinically important MCP was found. This skull belonged to a 60 years old Caucasian male.
Results and discussion: It becomes clinically important when it reaches the height of at least 1.5 mm. The mean height measures 2.59 mm. MCP occurs in about 40% of the population. It can project either unilaterally or bilaterally. No significant differences between age or sex were observed.
Conclusions: Recognition of MCP or its variations on preoperative imaging is crucial for planning endonasal approach in treatment of paraclinoidal ICA aneurysm, pituitary adenomas or clinoidectomies.
FUNDING
None declared.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
None declared.
REFERENCES(17)
1.
Miller C, Chamoun R, Beahm D. Morphometric Analysis of the Middle Clinoid Process Using Maxillofacial Computed Tomography Scans. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2017;13(1):124–130. https://doi.org/10.1227/neu.00....
Skandalakis GP, Koutsarnakis C, Pantazis N, et al. Caroticoclinoid Bar: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Its Prevalence and Potential Implications in Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Surgery. World Neurosurg. 2019;124:267–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu....
Sharma A, Rieth GE, Tanenbaum JE, et al. A morphometric survey of the parasellar region in more than 2700 skulls: Emphasis on the middle clinoid process variants and implications in endoscopic and microsurgical approaches. J Neurosurg. 2018;129(1):60–70. https://doi.org/10.3171/2017.2....
Priya A, Narayan RK, Ghosh SK, Kumar P. Morphometry and morphological analysis of carotico-clinoid foramen: an anatomical study with clinical implications. Folia Morphol. 2023;82(1):108–111. https://doi.org/10.5603/FM.a20....
Jin SW, Sim KB, Kim SD. Development and growth of the normal cranial vault: An embryologic review. JKNS. 2016;59(3):192–196. https://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2....
Couldwell M, Chaiyamoon A, Cardona JJ, et al. Twenty Intracranial Skull Base Variations in the Same Specimen. Cureus. 2023;15(6): e40096. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus....
Arrambide-Garza FJ, Zarate-Garza PP, Aguilar-Morales K. Safety window for the transsphenoidal approach for pituitary tumours: A computed tomographic angiography study. Folia Morphol. 2023;82(1):17–23. https://doi.org/10.5603/FM.a20....
Cheng Y, Chen Y, Zhou Z, et al. Anatomical study of posterior clinoid process (PCP) and its clinical meanings. J Craniofac Surg. 2015;26(2):537–540. https://doi.org/10.1097/scs.00....
Cheng Y, Wang C, Yang F, Zhu J, Feng Y, Zhao G. Anterior clinoid process and the surrounding structures. J Craniofac Surg. 2013;24(6):2098–2102. doi:10.1097/scs.0b013e31829ae3af.
Wang J, Wang R, Lu Y, Yao Y, Qi S. Anatomical analysis on the lateral bone window of the Sella Turcica: A study on 530 adult dry skull base specimens. Int J Medical Sci. 2014;11(2):134–141. https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.7....
Piagkou M, Fiska A, Tsakotos G, et al. A morphological study on the sphenoid bone ligaments' ossification pattern. Surg Radiol Anat. 2023;45(11):1405–1417. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276....
Das S, Suri R, Kapur V. Ossification of caroticoclinoid ligament and its clinical importance in skull-based surgery. Sao Paulo Med J. 2007 ;125(6):351–353. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1516-....
Zdilla MJ. The caroticoclinoid foramen in fetal and infantile orbitosphenoid, presphenoid, and sphenoid bones: developmental and neurosurgical considerations. J Neuosurg Pediatr. 2019;23(3):390–396. https://doi.org/10.3171/2018.9....
Acioly MA, Hendricks BK, Cohen-Gadol A. Extradural clinoidectomy: An efficient technique for expanding the operative corridor toward the central skull base. World Neurosurg. 2021;145:557–566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu....
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.