DIAPHYSEAL NUTRIENT FORAMINA IN HUMAN ADULT HUMERUS Kalpana Thounaojam * 1 , Subhalakshmi Wahengbam 2 , Elizabeth Remei 3 .   *1 Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of  Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Imphal, Manipur, India. 2 Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of  Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Imphal, Manipur, India 3 Demonstrator, Department of Anatomy, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of  Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Imphal, Manipur, India Address for correspondence:   Dr. Kalpana Thounaojam, Associate Professor, Anatomy Department, JNIMS, Imphal- 795005, Manipur, India. E-Mail:  kalpanathounaojam@yahoo.co.in ABSTRACT Background:    The   humerus   is   bone   of   the   arm.   It   is   a   long   bone.   Having   knowledge   on   the   location   of   the   nutrient   foramen   can   prevent   a   damage   to   the nutrient   artery   and   can   minimize   the   formation   of   a   delayed   union   or   a   non-union   of   the   fracture.   The   study   was   aimed   at   analyzing   the   nutrient   foramen   in dry adult humerii with reference to its number and location. Materials   and   Methods :   The   study   was   conducted   on   50   dry   adult   humerii   preserved   in   the   Department   of   Anatomy,   JNIMS,   Imphal.   The   bones   were   of unknown   sex.   The   length   of   the   bone,   foraminal   index,   number   of   nutrient   foramen,   direction   of   the   nutrient   foramen   and   location   of   nutrient   foramen were noted. Results:    The   frequency   of   humerus   with   single   nutrient   foramen   was   highest   (84%)   while   16%   of   humerii   had   two   nutrient   foramen.   In   horizontal   location of   nutrient   foramen,   48%   of   humerii   had   nutrient   foramen   in   anteromedial   surface,   40%   at   the   medial   border.   In   vertical   location   of   nutrient   foramen   of humerii, 94% of nutrient foramen were located in zone II and 6% in zone III. Conclusion :   Knowledge   on   nutrient   foramen   of   humerus   will   help   surgeons   in   avoiding   a   limited   area   of   the   cortex   of   the   long   bone   containing   the   nutrient foramen   during   an   open   reduction.   The   present   study   refutes   the   general   notation   that   nutrient   foramen   of   humerus   is   in   its   anteromedial   surface   as   less than 50% is present on this surface. KEY WORDS: Humerus, Nutrient Foramen, Delayed Union, Fracture, Non Union. References 1 . 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