The influence of palato-cranial base (basomaxillary) angle on the length of the caudal process of the nasal septum in man.

: The authors investigated and defined the relationship between the length of the caudal process of the quadrangular lamina and the palato-cranial base (basomaxillary) angle. The length of the caudal process was measured by an indirect method during surgical exposure in 71 patients with nasal septum deformity. The usual cephalometric reference points were used to form the angle reference lines; the points were marked over X-rays and traced on transparent paper using the "against the light" technique. It was found that the caudal process was longer than 3 cm (range 3.1-4.2 cm, mean value 3.45, standard deviation 0.34) when there existed a palato-cranial base angle; contrary, it was always shorter than 3 cm (range 1.9-3.0 cm, mean value 2.40, standard deviation 0.33) when the reference lines were parallel. That means that the angulation between the reference lines assigning the angle predisposes a longer caudal process, making possible a backward growth of this cartilaginous baton, and therefore the occurrence of some particular types of septal deformities. Finally, the authors suggest another name for the palato-cranial base angle, i.e. the basomaxillary angle, because it is simpler, shorter and still clear enough.