Incidence and morphometry of caroticoclinoid foramina in Greek dry human skulls

Background Ossification of the caroticoclinoid ligament (CCL) and formation of a caroticoclinoid foramen (CCF) may impose significant risk to neurosurgeons by impeding mobilization of the cavernous segment of the internal carotid artery. Although safe surgical access to the clinoidal space is related to understanding the CCF anatomical and ethnic variants, there remains a paucity of studies of the morphology and bony relationships. The current study provides a systematic morphological and morphometric analysis of the CCF, the ossification of the CCL extending between the anterior and middle clinoid processes, and their relations in a Greek population.