A Survey on Morphometry and Topography of Nutrient Foramina and Measurement of Other Anthropometric Parameters in Human Femora and Tibiae: A Descriptive Study

Measuring the dimensions of bones is essential from the perspective of surgery related to bones and joints. The position of the nutrient foramen and the bones' dimensions vary in different populations. The aim of this study was to determine some anthropometric dimensions and topography of nutrient foramina in the femora and tibiae.

In this descriptive study, the anthropometric dimensions of 45 femora and 25 tibiae were measured using a caliper, meter, and goniometer. The number, shape, position, and measurements of nutrient foramina were also evaluated. This measurement was made in 2022 and on the bones in the Anatomy Museum of the Faculty of Medicine. The results were reported as frequency, frequency percentage, mean, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum.

In the femur, 88.06% (n=59) and in the tibia, all the foramina were oval. Also, in the femur and tibia, 40.30% (n=27) and 50% (n=13) of nutrient foramina were located in the body's upper third, respectively. The average neck and head circumferences of the femur were 10.47 and 13.90 cm, respectively, and the average body length of the tibia and femur were 34.08 and 42.92 cm, respectively. Also, the average angle between the body and the neck and the femoral neck anteversion were 129.5 and 13.88 degrees, respectively. The medial and lateral femoral condyles lengths were 9.89 and 10.57, and their widths were 3.04 and 3.58 cm, respectively. Furthermore, the sizes of the medial and lateral condyles of the tibia were 3.96 and 3.55, and their widths were 2.67 and 2.69 cm, respectively.

It is essential to collect anthropometric information specific to each population for clinical and forensic applications.