The lacrimal bone is the smallest and most fragile bone of the face, forming part of the medial orbital wall between the frontal process of the maxilla and the orbital plate of the ethmoid. It contains a vertical groove (lacrimal groove) that forms the lacrimal sac fossa, housing the nasolacrimal apparatus.
| Articulations | |
|---|---|
| Landmarks |
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| Ossification | Membranous ossification from a single centre at week 12 of fetal development. |
The lacrimal bone is routinely violated in dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) for nasolacrimal duct obstruction, where an opening is created between the lacrimal sac and the nasal cavity. Blowout fractures of the medial orbital wall fracture the lacrimal bone along with the lamina papyracea of the ethmoid. The lacrimal groove and its posterior crest (posterior lacrimal crest on the maxilla) are the boundaries for medial orbital approach anatomy.
The thin lacrimal bone can fracture with the lamina papyracea in orbital blowout injuries, sometimes trapping the medial rectus or damaging the nasolacrimal drainage system.
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