Ossification of the caroticoclinoid ligament found in a cadaveric specimen: a case report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34119/bjhrv8n6-007Keywords:
Skull, ligaments, ossification, anatomic variation, clinical relevanceAbstract
Intracranial ligaments stabilize and protect parts of the brain within the cranial cavity. One example is the caroticoclinoid ligament, which connects the anterior and middle clinoid processes of the sphenoid bone. In rare cases, this structure ossifies, forming the caroticoclinoid foramen — an anatomical variation of clinical and surgical relevance due to its proximity to the internal carotid artery (ICA). The prevalence of this condition is higher in individuals over 60 years of age. In this context, this study aims to report an anatomical variation found in a skull from an anatomy laboratory in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and its clinical significance. For this purpose, a case report was conducted based on the analysis of a cranial specimen, with photographic records and observational and descriptive analyses performed to study the structure. In addition, a literature review was conducted using the PubMed and SciELO databases, selecting articles from the last five years with the keywords “caroticoclinoid ligament” and “ossification.” The caroticoclinoid ligament may undergo physiological or pathological transformation, replacing fibrous tissue with bone tissue, involving multifactorial causes such as hormonal influence, angiogenesis, aging, genetic disorders, and trauma. This alteration is significant in medical practice, as it may lead to compression of structures such as the ICA and cranial nerves, as well as changes in blood flow. The occurrence of this ossification has clinical and surgical relevance. Considering that standard anatomy textbooks do not describe this foramen, its study is emphasized for safe and effective neurosurgical practice in this region.
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