Rare anatomical variation of the mastoid foramen and its clinical and surgical implications

case report

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56102/afmo.2025.416

Keywords:

Skull base, Mastoid foramen, Neurosurgery, Temporal bone, Mastoid, Anatomic variation

Abstract

The mastoid foramen is an osseous structure located on the posterior aspect of the mastoid process. This foramen may exhibit variations in size, diameter, laterality, number, location, and even sex and ancestry. Few studies investigate the anatomical variations in this bony structure. The present study reported a morphometric analysis of the increased diameter of the mastoid foramen in a 25-year-old male patient. In this context, our findings highlight the importance of describing the changes in the diameter of the mastoid foramen and their clinical and surgical implications.

Author Biographies

Fernando Augusto Pacífico, Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda

Professor at the Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda. Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Jonatas Pinto Pinheiro de Sousa, Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda

Student at the Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda. Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Aparecida Aylara Isabella Souza Gonçalves, Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda

Student at the Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda. Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Marina de Freitas Andrade, Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda

Student at the Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda. Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Ismael Felipe Gonçalves Galvão, Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda

Student at the Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda. Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Renata Cristinny de Farias Campina, Faculdade de Medicina de Olinda

Professor at the Department of Anatomy at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE. Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.

References

Syed AZ et al. Incidental occurrence of an unusually large mastoid foramen on cone-beam computed tomography and review of the literature. Imaging Sci Dent. 2016 Mar; 46(1): 39-45. https://doi.org/10.5624/isd.2016.46.1.39

Wang C et al. Comprehensive review of the mastoid foramen. Neurosurg Rev. 2021 Jun;44(3):1255-1258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-020-01329-9

Hernández-Rodríguez AN, Galindo-de León S, Morales-Avalos R, Theriot-Girón MdC, de la Garza-Castro O, Elizondo Omaña R, et al. Prevalencia y características morfométricas del foramen mastoideo y vena emisaria mastoidea en población mexicana. Int J Morphol. 2014 Jun;32(2):395-398. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95022014000200001

Reis CV et al. Anatomy of the mastoid emissary vein and venous system of the posterior neck region: neurosurgical implications. Neurosurgery. 2007 Nov;61(5 Suppl 2):193-200; discussion 200-1. https://doi.org/10.1227/01.neu.0000303217.53607.d9.

Yurdabakan ZZ, Okumuş Ö, Orhan K. The morphometric analysis of mastoid foramen and mastoid emissary canal on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Surg Radiol Anat. 2023;45:303–314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-023-03089-9

Kim LK et al. Mastoid emissary vein: anatomy and clinical relevance in plastic & reconstructive surgery. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2014 Jun;67(6):775-80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjps.2014.03.002.

Hampl M et al. Mastoid foramen, mastoid emissary vein and clinical implications in neurosurgery. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2018 Jul; 160(7): 1473-1482. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-018-3564-2

Galvão IFG, Valença MM, Valente TJMBS, Dantas JMS, Gonçalves AAIS, Campina RCF, et al. Análise morfométrica do forame mastóideo e suas possíveis implicações clínicas e cirúrgicas. An Fac Med Olinda 2024; 1(12):46 doi: https://doi.org/10.56102/afmo.2024.365

Zhou W, Di G, Rong J, Hu Z, Tan M, Duan K, Jiang X. Aplicações clínicas da veia emissária da mastoide. Surg Radiol Anat. 2023 Jan;45(1):55-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-03060-0

Wysocki J, Reymond J, Skarzyński H, Wróbel B. The size of selected human skull foramina in relation to skull capacity. Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2006;65(4):301-308. Disponível em: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17171609/

Chaiyamoon A, Schneider K, Iwanaga J, Donofrio CA, Badaloni F, Fioravanti A, Tubbs RS. Anatomical study of the mastoid foramina and mastoid emissary veins: classification and application to localizing the sigmoid sinus. Neurosurg Rev. 2023 Dec 19;47(1):16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-023-02229-4

Robson CD, Mulliken JB, Robertson RL, et al. Prominent basal emissary foramina in syndromic craniosynostosis: correlation with phenotypic and molecular diagnoses. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2000;21(9):1707-1717. Disponível em: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11039354/

Hauser G, De Stefano GF. Epigenetic variants of the human skull. Stuttgart: E. Schweizerbartsche Verlagsbuchhandlung; 1989. Disponível em: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330830413

Cheatle A. The mastoid emissary vein and its surgical importance. Proc R Soc Med. 1925;18:29-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/003591572501801223

Boyd GI. The emissary foramina of the cranium in man and the anthropoids. J Anat. 1930;65:108-121. Disponível em: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17104299/

Downloads

Published

2025-11-13

How to Cite

Pacífico, F. A., Sousa, J. P. P. de, Gonçalves, A. A. I. S., Andrade, M. de F., Galvão, I. F. G., & Campina, R. C. de F. (2025). Rare anatomical variation of the mastoid foramen and its clinical and surgical implications: case report. Annals of Olinda Medical School, 1(13), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.56102/afmo.2025.416

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 13 (2025)

Section

Case Reports

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Fernando Augusto Pacífico, Jonatas Pinto Pinheiro de Sousa, Aparecida Aylara Isabella Souza Gonçalves, Marina de Freitas Andrade, Ismael Felipe Gonçalves Galvão, Renata Cristinny de Farias Campina

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Esta licença permite que outros distribuam, remixem, adaptem e desenvolvam seu trabalho, mesmo comercialmente, desde que creditem a revista pela criação original.