ANATOMICAL LANDMARKS FOR SAFE SURGICAL PRACTICE: A STUDY OF NUTRIENT FORAMINA OF DRIED CADAVERIC LONG BONES OF UPPER LIMB

Background and objectives: The vascular supply of long bones through nutrient arteries entering vianutrient foramina, plays a crucial role in bone health and remodeling. Understanding the morphometriccharacteristics of nutrient foramina is essential in orthopedic, plastic, and reconstructive procedures forpreventing complications such as delayed union, nonunion or avascular necrosis. The aim of the study was toevaluate the number, direction, location, position of nutrient foramina in long bones of the upper limb toprovide anatomical data relevant to local surgical practices.Methods: This descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, KingEdward Medical University, Lahore, from October 2024 to December 2024. A total of 150 dried cadavericlong bones of the upper limb were taken, including 50 humeri, 50 radii, and 50 ulnae. Nutrient foramina wereexamined for number, location, size, direction, and position. Bone length and distance of foramina from theproximal end were measured, and the Foramen Index (FI) was calculated. Data were analyzed using SPSSversion 26.0.Results: A single nutrient foramen was most common: 76% in humeri, 72% in radii, and 94% in ulnae.Double foramina were rare, and absence of foramina was observed in 20% of humeri, 24% of radii, and 4% ofulnae. In humeri, nutrient foramina were predominantly located on the anteromedial surface and classified asType II (middle third) in 95% of cases. In radii and ulnae, most foramina were in the proximal third (Type I).Conclusion: This study provided population-specific data on the morphology and topography of nutrientforamina, critical for optimizing surgical outcomes in orthopedic and reconstructive procedures by aiding inthe identification of safe zones and preserving vascular integrity.Key words: Nutrient foramen, foramen index, nutrient artery, long bones.