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ÂNATOMIC RELÂTİONSHIP BETWEEN MAJÖR ARTERİES AND LUMBAR VERTEBRAE ON CT SCANS FOR INTERBODY FUSION USING THREADED CAGES

  • Kemal YÜCESOY
  • Sait NADERİ
  • Feridun ACAR
  • Ahmet Nur TURAL
  • Ercan ÖZER
  • Handan ÇAKMAKÇI
  • Tansu MERTOL
  • M.Nuri ARDA

J Turk Spinal Surg 2001;12(4):53-56

Purpose:

To determine the anatomical landmarks of lumbar vertebrae for the application of threaded intervertebral cages.

Methods:

We measured the distance between bone and arteries on CT scan in 50 cases who were operated for lumbar disc disease.

Results:

The mean anterior-posterior diameter of L3, L4, L5, S1 vertebral bodies were found to be 50.4 mm, 51.2 mm, 53 mm, 54.3 mm respectively. The aorta diameter was 16.2 mm at L3 level. The distance betvveen aorta and anterior margin of vertebral body was 0.58 mm The aortic bifurcation level was found to be at L4-5 in 80% of cases. The distance betvveen iliac arteries at the levels of L4-5 and S1 were 11.04 mm, 17.06 mm and, 39.88 mm, respectively.

Conclusion:

It’s concluded that (1) the threaded cages should.be less than 25 mm in length, (2) the aorta is iocated just anterior to the vertebral body, and surgeon should take this fact into consideratîon during posterior application, (3) because of the location of aortic bifurcation at L3-4 and L4-5 levels and the distance betvveen iliac arteries is safe enough at L5-S1 'level, anterior application of threaded cages can be appropriate at L5-S1 level.

Keywords: Lumbar vertebra, Threaded interbody cage/»Vascular anatomy