Incidence of foramen of Huschke in temporal bone.

Introduction: The foramen of Huschke (FH) otherwise known as foramen tympanicum represents a developmental defect in the anteroinferior aspect of the bony external auditory meatus and is an uncommon disorder. It is posteromedial to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) occurs due to a defect in normal ossification in the first 5 years of life. The FH may predispose individuals to TMJ pathology or it may be associated with salivary discharge into the external acoustic canal during mastication. The aim of this study is to find the incidence of FH in the temporal bone. Materials and Methods: A total of 34 dry adult skulls of unknown sex and age were observed from the Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai. Results: FH was observed in two dry human adult crania of the 34 human crania with an occurrence of 5.8%. Both the FHs were present on the left side of the crania and were circular in shape. Conclusion: This case report describes one of the variations of a temporal bone, the FH with its embryological and clinical aspects. This study might enhance the knowledge of temporal bone in the field of osteology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]