The nutrient foramina are cavities that conduct the nutrient arteries and the peripheral nerves on the shaft of long bones. Long bones receive most of the interosseous blood supply from the nutrient arteries, and sometimes through the periosteal vessels. Nutrient arteries play an important role in nutrition and growth of the bones particularly during its growth period in the embryo and fetus as well as during early phases of ossification. Total one hundred eleven long bones of upper limb i.e. thirty seven each of the Humerus, Radius & ulna was taken from Department of Anatomy, Pt.J.N.M. Medical College, Raipur & was studied for the location, direction, number of Nutrient foramen.& It was found that most of the long bones follow the dictum “Towards the elbow I go, away from the knee I flee”. & the Direction of nutrient foramen is opposite to growing end i.e .away from the elbow. Double nutrient foramen was found in few cases of humerus & radius. The Nutrient foramen in humerus was found in middle 1/3rd in most of the cases & in lower 1/3rd in few cases. The nutrient foramen in radius was found in middle 1/3rd & some in upper 1/3rd. In Ulna the nutrient foramina in 1/3rd cases found in upper1/3rd & in 2/3rd cases found in middle 1/3rd .This anatomical study of nutrient foramina in shaft of long bones is of paramount importance in medico-legal aspect and also important in surgical procedures like bone grafting and microsurgical bone transplantation.
