Intervertebral route of lumbar nerve root in relation to adjacent tissues in the first Chinese visible human and normal human

Jian YOU; Shaoxiang ZHANG; Mingguo QIU; Qiyu LI; Wei CHEN; Ming LU

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Percutaneous laser disk decompression(PLDD) is a new interventional therapy of lumbar disk herniation recently. Posterior lateral route is often employed. Puncture route was investigated by the application of anatomic methods previously. However, there are relative fewer reports regarding the observation of the route of lumbar nerve root in intervertebral plane and triangle working area from thin section anatomy and CT section anatomy.

OBJECTIVE:

To clarify the intervertebral route and its adjacent relationship of lumbar nerve root on thin section and CT section to provide a anatomic gist for puncture route in PLDD.

DESIGN:

An observational study based on corpus and normal individual.

SETTING:

Department of radiology of a military medical university of Chinese PLA affiliated hospital and the department of anatomy of a military medical university of Chinese PLA.

PARTICIPANTS:

The collection of the first Chinese visible human was completed in the Department of Anatomy(laboratory of computer medicine) the Faculty of Medicine, Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA in October 2002. Totally 53 subjects without confirmed vertebral and intervertebral disc diseases and other diseases of the adjacent organs received CT examination and measurement in the Department of Radiology of the Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA Affiliated Southwest Hospital between january and March 2000.

INTERVENTIONS:

The intervertebral route of lumbar nerve root in the first Chinese visible human was observed descriptively. The route, morphology, size, adjacent structure, and the distance between puncture line and lumbar nerve in 53 normal individuals were observed and measured by CT.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

To describe the intervertebral route of lumbar nerve root in the first CVH and normal individual, to measure the intervertebral length and width of lumbar nerve, and the distance between puncture line and lumbar nerve.

RESULTS:

The first Chinese visible human lumbar has 48 layers of intervertebral space with a thickness of each layer of 1.0 mm. The route and adjacent structure of lumbar nerve displayed in each section were clear. CT image clearly showed the intervertebral route, size and adjacent structure of lumbar nerve root.

CONCLUSION:

The first Chinese visible human lumbar nerve root intervertebral route is a continuous and intact thin section specimen. The intervertebral route and morphology of lumbar root nerve have great alterations. The relationship between puncture route and its adjacent lumbar nerve root, anterior articular process, ilium wing and vessels is very close.