[The study of microdissection of endoscopic transnasal surgery in the sphenopalatine foramen].

OBJECTIVE: To provide anatomy evidence for endoscopic transnasal surgery in the sphenopalatine foramen by measuring and dissecting corpses.

METHOD: The position, shape, size and their correlational data of sphenopalatine foramen of 40 sides skulls in adults were measured.

RESULT: Classification of the sphenopalatine foramen were as three types: I 35%; II 5%; III 60%. The mean distance from upper edge of the sphenopalatine foramen to the base of the sphenopalatine sinus was male (1.75 +/- 1.10) mm, female (1.13 +/- 0.55) mm, and to the apertura sphenopalatine sinus was male (9.80 +/- 3.27) mm, female (8.30 +/- 3.45) mm. The mean distance from the posterior edge of the sphenopalatine foramen to the rhinopharynx was male (11.12 +/- 3.30) mm, female (10.85 +/- 3.12) mm. The mean distance from the anterior edge of the sphenopalatine foramen to the apertura maxillaris was male (18.50 +/- 6.80) mm, female (14.57 +/- 5.07) mm, and to the apex of nose was male (69.54 +/- 6.98) mm, female (66.57 +/- 5.07) mm, and to the nasospinale was male (56.69 +/- 5.70) mm, female (53.25 +/- 8.80) mm. The horizontal diameter of the sphenopalatine foramen was female (4.61 +/- 1.80) mm, male (5.12 +/- 2.05) mm. The vertical diameter was male (5.37 +/- 2.67) mm, female (0.35 +/- 0.07) mm. The surface diameter of the sphenopalatine artery and nerves was male (2.12 +/- 0.66) mm, female (1.61 +/- 0.70) mm, and male (0.65 +/- 0.49) mm, female (0.35 +/- 0.07) mm. The mean angle from the sphenopalatine foramen to the horizontal plate of palatine bone was male (22.83 +/- 4.71) degrees, female (22.73 +/- 3.81) degrees. Nasal lateral walls were controlled by lateral posterior nasal arteries and nerves, which were classified into three types: I 70%, II 20%, III 10%.

CONCLUSION: The observation and survey about the sphenopalatine foramen will supply clinic with anatomy homological.