Abstract
The nasopalatine canal is a relatively long narrow structure located in the midline of the maxilla that contains the nasopalatine nerve and terminal branch of the descending palatine artery. Anatomical variations related to this structure have been reported. This article aimed to report a case of a complete additional nasopalatine canal on a 53-year-old female patient who underwent an examination by cone beam computed tomography. On sagittal slices, it was possible to observe the presence of an additional canal anterior and superior to the nasopalatine canal, separated by a bony septum. Each canal extended from independent superior openings (located in the nasal cavity) to independent openings located in the remaining alveolar process of the anterior maxilla. Identification of individual anatomical variations, especially involving neurovascular structures, plays an important role in the successful outcomes of surgical procedures involving the anterior maxilla.
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Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Dr. Paulo Sérgio Flores Campos and Clínica Delfin for their assistance with this article.
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Neves, F.S., Oliveira, L.K., Ramos Mariz, A.C. et al. Rare anatomical variation related to the nasopalatine canal. Surg Radiol Anat 35, 853–855 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1089-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1089-1