The posterior or tubal sphenoidal plate extending into the tympanosquamous fissure – A novel finding

ABSTRACT

Objective

The tympanic plate typically joins the articular tubercle in the medial glenoid wall. It is aimed to report a peculiar anatomic variant of the latter.

Methods

The computed tomography scans of two adult male cases were documented for the anatomical details of the temporomandibular joint.

Results

The absence of the tubal processes of the tympanic plates was found bilaterally. The medial glenoid walls were penetrated by posterior or tubal sphenoidal plates extending posteriorly from the sphenoidal spines, 6.6 mm/12.2 mm on the right/left sides in the first case, and 9.8/8.4 mm on the right/left sides in the second case. These plates formed the lateral tubal walls and modified the tubal sulci on the sphenopetrosal fissures into musculotubal pseudo-canals. On the sides of the tubal sphenoidal plates formed in the medial wall of the glenoid fossa additional fissures, an anterolateral sphenotemporal one and a postero-medial sphenotympanic one.

Conclusion

As far as the authors know, the tubal plate of the sphenoid bone was not observed previously to participate in the glenoid fossa’s medial wall. It could be regarded as a rare anatomic variation.

KEYWORDS:

• Skull base
• temporomandibular joint
• sphenoidal spine
• middle meningeal artery
• auditory tube

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

MCR: anatomical study, designed the report, writing the initial draft of the manuscript; ADV: contributed case, contributed discussion, ethical approval, and revised the final draft

Statement of ethics

The responsible authorities (affiliation b) approved the study (approval no.10540/February 16 2022).

Data availability statement

The datasets used and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.