{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,3]],"date-time":"2026-07-03T00:33:10Z","timestamp":1783038790788,"version":"3.54.6"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"21","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,5]],"date-time":"2025-11-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1762300800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The sphenoidal emissary foramen (SEF) is an inconstant foramen of the sphenoid bone that facilitates venous communication between the pterygoid venous plexus and the cavernous sinus. Understanding its prevalence and laterality is crucial to preventing vascular injury during skull base procedures. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 133 adult Chilean dried skulls. Each specimen was examined both internally and externally to record SEF presence and laterality. Three independent observers performed the assessments under direct lighting, achieving excellent interobserver agreement (\u03ba = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.81\u20130.92). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and Cramer\u2019s V coefficients were calculated to evaluate side dominance and effect size at a significance level of p &lt; 0.05. Results: The SEF was present in 40.17%. Bilateral foramina were observed in 26.79%, and unilateral SEF in 13.38%. Left-sided SEF (9.12%) was more common than right-sided SEF (4.26%), showing a significant difference (p = 0.03; Cramer\u2019s V = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.02\u20130.33). This mild but significant left-sided prevalence indicates slight directional asymmetry rather than functional lateralization. Conclusions: The Chilean prevalence of the SEF lies within the mid-range of international data and closely aligns with Brazilian osteological reports. Although a minor left-sided predominance was observed, the effect size was weak (Cramer\u2019s V = 0.19), reinforcing the interpretation of the SEF as a normal morphological variability rather than a true anatomical variant. Precise preoperative identification of the SEF is crucial to reduce the risk of venous injury and avoid unintentional penetration.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics15212800","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,5]],"date-time":"2025-11-05T13:19:29Z","timestamp":1762348769000},"page":"2800","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Prevalence of the Sphenoidal Emissary Foramen in a Chilean Osteological Sample: Anatomical and Surgical Implications"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Juan Jos\u00e9","family":"Valenzuela Fuenzalida","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andr\u00e9s Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile"},{"name":"Departamento de Ciencias Qu\u00edmicas y Biol\u00f3gicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Bernardo O\u2019Higgins, Santiago 8370993, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Catalina","family":"Alca\u00edno Adasme","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andr\u00e9s Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Trinidad","family":"Soublette Tocornal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andr\u00e9s Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-6087-4741","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Felipe","family":"Alvial-Ahumada","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andr\u00e9s Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Macarena","family":"Perez Gutierrez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andr\u00e9s Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alejandro","family":"Bruna-Mejias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andr\u00e9s Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1781-062X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mathias","family":"Orellana-Donoso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago 7501015, Chile"},{"name":"Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Science, Universidad San Sebasti\u00e1n, Santiago 8420524, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0098-0224","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pablo","family":"Nova-Baeza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andr\u00e9s Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alejandra","family":"Suazo-Santiba\u00f1ez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Universidad de Las Am\u00e9ricas, Santiago 8370040, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4650-3426","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hector","family":"Gutierrez-Espinoza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Chile, Santiago 7500000, Chile"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2599-8474","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan","family":"Sanchis-Gimeno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"GIAVAL Research Group, Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, 46001 Valencia, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4831-8005","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"Piagkou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece"},{"name":"\u201cVARIANTIS\u201d Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Anatomy, Masovian Academy in P\u0142ock, 09402 P\u0142ock, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-0122-2436","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"George","family":"Triantafyllou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece"},{"name":"\u201cVARIANTIS\u201d Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Anatomy, Masovian Academy in P\u0142ock, 09402 P\u0142ock, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexandros","family":"Samolis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8130-6460","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 E.","family":"Le\u00f3n-Rojas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cerebro, Emoci\u00f3n y Conducta (CEC) Research Group, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de las Am\u00e9ricas (UDLA), Quito 170521, Ecuador"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Lang, J. 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