Anat Cell Biol.  2019 Jun;52(2):211-213. 10.5115/acb.2019.52.2.211.

Ossification of the roof of the porus trigeminus with duplicated abducens nerve

• Dupont G
• Altafulla
• Iwanaga J
• Watanabe K
• Tubbs RS

• KMID: 2451227
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2019.52.2.211

Abstract

Ossification of parts of the intracranial dura mater is common and is generally accepted as an age-related finding. Additionally, duplication of the abducens nerve along its course to the lateral rectus muscle is a known, although uncommon anatomical variant. During routine cadaveric dissection, an ossified portion of dura mater traveling over the trigeminal nerve's entrance (porus trigeminus) into the middle cranial fossa was observed unilaterally. Ipsilaterally, a duplicated abducens nerve was also observed, with a unique foramen superolateral to the entrance of Dorello's canal. To our knowledge, there has been no existing report of a simultaneous ossified roof of the porus trigeminus with an ipsilateral duplicated abducens nerve. Herein, we discuss this case and the potential clinical and surgical applications. We believe this case report will be informative for the skull base surgeon in the diagnosis of neuralgic pain in the frontomaxillary, andibular, orbital, and external and middle ear regions.

Keyword

Meckel's cave ossification; Trigeminal neuralgia; Abducens nerve variation; Microneurosurgery

MeSH Terms

Abducens Nerve*
Cadaver
Cranial Fossa, Middle
Diagnosis
Dura Mater
Ear, Middle
Orbit
Skull Base
Trigeminal Neuralgia