title: Cranial morphometry related to placement of tongs in the temporoparietal area for cervical traction.
abstract: The optimal placement of cervical traction tong pins to avoid cranial penetration or tong pull-off is not well established. Cranial thickness and transverse diameter in the temporoparietal area we believe to be important variables: The former was measured on 10 embalmed cadaveric specimens, the latter on 20 cleaned skeletal specimens. For each specimen, measurements were obtained at 29 points arranged within a 5 x 9-cm rectangular region above the external auditory canal. Within this region, no significant thickness variations occurred, except for one point each at the extreme posterocephalad and posterocaudad corners. Transverse diameters were constant in the area just above the pinna and gradually decreased in the anterior, posterior, and cephalad directions. No outward-flaring temporal ridge was found. We recommend pin placement just above the pinna. Anteroposterior position should probably be determined by the amount, if any, of flexion or extension desired.
authors.affiliation: McClure Musculoskeletal Research Center, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Vermont, Burlington 05405.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Krag
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Monsey
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Fenwick
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck; D010294:Parietal Bone; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013701:Temporal Bone; D014143:Traction / Q000295:instrumentation*