Human skull is made up of eight different bones. The frontal bone is the bone that makes up the forehead region. The frontal bone plays a very important role in protecting the brain from any direct injuries. The frontal bone forms the forehead and it is shaped like a bowl. The lower part of the frontal bone forms the roof of the orbit. The frontal bone varies in thickness all over and the portion of the frontal bone which is located above the orbits is thick. However, the frontal bone is thin at the middle. The frontal bone acts as a casing for the brain therefore on the inside it takes the shape of the cranial lobes. So according to the shape of the tissues in the brain, the inside of the frontal bones is raised and depressed at different points. Frontal bone is considered to be a flat bone which is spongy at the middle. Even though the frontal bone acts as a casing for the brain, there is a small gap between the frontal bone and the brain tissues to accommodate cerebrospinal fluid.
What is the function of the frontal bone?
The top most of the frontal bone is protection of the brain. In addition to protecting the brain, the shape of the frontal bone determines the shape of a person’s forehead which forms a very important part of the face.
Anatomy of the frontal bone:-
The frontal bone is made up of three parts. They are:-
- The orbital part
- The squamous part
- The nasal part
Squamous part is the part of the frontal bone which forms the forehead. It is the biggest part of frontal bone. The squamous part consists of the frontal sinuses. The Zygomatic process rises from the squamous part of the frontal bone and then fuses with the Zygomatic bone.
The roof of the orbit is formed by the orbital part of the frontal bones. The orbital part is further divided into two categories; anterior ethmoidal foramen and posterior ethmoidal foramen.
The nasal part of the frontal bone forms the nose stem because of its joints with nasal bones and the maxilla.
Fractures of the frontal bone:-
Fractures of the frontal bone are maxillofacial fractures. Frontal bone fractures can be caused due to direct blunt trauma as well as penetrative trauma like gunshot to the frontal bone. Blunt trauma to the frontal bone is one of the top reasons for the fractures. The type of fracture or injury sustained by the frontal bone depends upon the object which has caused by the fracture. Frontal bone is less likely to get fractured if it hits the airbags in an automobile accident rather than the hard dashboard. Generally, a force has to be very high to fracture the frontal bone therefore in addition to fracture of the frontal bone there are very high chances of brain injury as well. In India, as much as the incidences of high speed automobile crashes are responsible for maxillofacial fractures, the lack of awareness about proper use of safety measures is also one of the top causes for the same.
The treatment of the frontal bone fracture in India begins with the assessment of the fracture. So, in addition to fixation of the fracture the treatment has the following goals:-
- Checking for the condition of the cranial tissues.
- Checking for the presence of leakage of cerebrospinal fluid.
- Fixing the deformed bone structure.
Frontal bone fractures may be accompanied with injuries to the eye area. Therefore, before the treatment, the patient is put through a complete vision exam. Since there could be brain injuries, the patient is monitored closely. CT scans and MRI tests are done before the treatment begins. The fracture of the frontal bone is caused due to a large amount of force therefore other injuries are always present.
Treatment of frontal bone is complex and only the best maxillofacial facility and surgeon of India should perform the treatment. In India, the number of grievous cases of frontal bone fracture and the best maxillofacial faculties do not correspond. The lack of best and dedicated maxillofacial treatment facilities is one of the top concerns of the health care scenario in India. Thankfully, one of top best maxillofacial and facial plastic surgeons of India is doing the best he can for the treatment of fractures of frontal bone in Mumbai. Dr. Shome has been performing maxillofacial repairs in Mumbai for over a decade now. Maxillofacial injuries are very prevalent in India due to negligence of safety rules. To make the situation worse the best trauma centers of India are located in urban centers like Mumbai. In fractures of frontal bone, the first few hours in the treatment make all the difference. To ensure proper first aid, dedicated trauma centers are required in India. Increase in the number of trauma centers will ensure that patients do not have to travel to Mumbai or Delhi for the treatment. Because of this many people suffering from life threatening injuries have to travel to Mumbai from all over India. India is on the road to become a medical and economic superpower, but distribution of medical resources is still ambiguous. As per Dr. Shome, best treatment facilities are required in other cities of India rather than just Mumbai. Dr. Shome has performed treatment on many complicated cases in Mumbai which had to be followed by reconstructive surgery. At The Esthetic Clinics in Mumbai, reconstructive surgery is one of the top surgeries that are carried out. Over the years, during his practice in Mumbai, Dr. Shome has encountered cases which involve treatment of youngsters. The top reason of fractures in people in India is the love of speed which is fatal. His advice to the youth of India is to drive safe and with precautions. Maxillofacial injuries can be life- altering and they can cause permanent deformity. While treating his patients in Mumbai, he focuses on the nature of injuries to ensure there is no brain tissue damage. Treatment facilities in Mumbai are much better than before and this makes Mumbai one of the top destinations for treatment of frontal bone fractures in India.
Dr. Shome is a pioneer in the field of maxillofacial and facial plastic surgery and in addition to being a consultant to some of the best hospitals like Apollo Spectra in Mumbai he has his own chain of clinics in Mumbai. The Esthetic Clinics in Mumbai are the melting pot of best medical technology and top skills of Dr. Debraj Shome.
