Morphometric measurements from various reference points in the orbit of male Caucasians.

The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric variations from various reference points to decrease risks in orbital surgery. Sixty-two orbits obtained from 31 skulls of male adult Caucasians were measured with a millimetric compass. On the medial orbital wall, the midpoint of the anterior lacrimal crest was the reference point; from this point we measured distances of 23.9+/-3.3 mm, 35.6+/-2.3 mm, 41.7+/-3.1 mm and 6.9+/-1.5 mm respectively to the anterior ethmoidal foramen, posterior ethmoidal foramen, midpoint of the medial aspect of the optic canal and posterior lacrimal crest. On the same wall, distances from the plane of the anterior and posterior ethmoidal foramina to the ethmoido-maxillary suture and distance from the posterior ethmoidal foramen to the anterior ethmoidal foramen and midpoint of the medial margin of the optic canal were 14.9+/-2.3 mm, 9.8+/-2.9 mm and 6.8+/-2.2 mm respectively. On the inferior orbital wall, the main reference point was the infraorbital foramen, and from this point to the midpoints of the lateral margin of the fossa for the lacrimal gland, inferior orbital fissure, inferior orbital rim and inferior aspect of the optic canal was 23.8+/-7.2 mm, 31.9+/-3.9 mm, 6.7+/-1.9 mm and 50.3+/-3.2 mm respectively. On the superior orbital wall, the distances from the supraorbital foramen to the midpoints of the superior orbital fissure, fossa for the lacrimal gland and superior aspect of the optic canal were 45.7+/-3.6 mm, 26.0+/-2.5 mm and 45.3+/-3.2 mm respectively. Furthermore, on the same wall, the distance from the posterior ethmoidal foramen to the midpoint of the superior orbital fissure was 14.6+/-2.8 mm. Finally, on the lateral orbital wall the frontozygomatic suture was the reference point. From this point distances to the midpoints of the fossa for the lacrimal gland, superior orbital fissure, lateral aspect of the optic canal and inferior orbital fissure were 17.5+/-2.1 mm, 37.7+/-3.6 mm, 44.9+/-2.5 mm and 33.4+/-3.1 mm respectively.