A Study Of Nutrient Foramen In Long Bones Of Inferior Extremity In Human Being

The nutrient foramina are cavities that conduct the nutrient arteries and the peripheral nerves on the shaft of long bones. Long bones receive most of the interosseous blood supply from the nutrient arteries, and sometimes through the periosteal vessels. Nutrient arteries play an important role in nutrition and growth of the bones particularly during its growth period in the embryo and fetus as well as during early phases of ossification. Total one hundred eleven long bones of lower limb i.e.thirty seven each of the Femur,Tibia& Fibula was taken from Department of Anatomy, Pt.J.N.M.Medical College ,Raipur & was studied for the location ,direction,number of Nutrient foramen.& It was found that most of the long bones follow the dictum “Towards the elbow I go,away from the knee I flee”. ”. & the Direction of nutrient foramen is opposite to growing end i.e .towards the knee. double nutrient foramen was found in most cases of Femur.the Nutrient foramen in Femur was found in Upper 1/3rd &middle 1/3rd in most of the cases .The nutrient foramen in Tibia was mostly found in Upper 1/3rd & some in middle1/3rd.In Fibula the nutrient foramina in some cases found in upper1/3rd & in most of the cases found in middle 1/3rd .This Anatomical study of nutrient foramina in shaft of long bones is of paramount importance in medico-legal aspect and also important in surgical procedures like bone grafting and microsurgical bone transplantation.