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Updated: Apr 22, 2026

Laminectomy for the Removal of Thoracic Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum TOLF Using Ultrasonic and Conventional Osteotomes
Published on: April 21, 2023
Ossified ligamentum longitudinale anterius in adult human dry vertebrae
Kalyan Chakravarthi Kosuri1, Nelluri Venumadhav2, Siddaraju Ks3
1Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Mayo Institute of Medical Sciences , Faizabad Road, Gadia, Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, India .
Background:
The ligamentum longitudinale anterius is a broad and strong band of fibrous tissue that runs along the anterior surfaces of the bodies of the vertebrae.
Aim:
The study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of ossified ligamentum longitudinale anterius in adult dry human vertebra.
Materials And Methods:
This study was carried out on 95 sets of dry human vertebral columns irrespective of age and sex at Mayo Institute of Medical Sciences- Barabanki,-UP, Melaka Manipal Medical College-Manipal University and Department of Anatomy, KMCT Medical College, Manassery- Calicut, India. All the sets of vertebral columns were macroscopically inspected for the ossified ligamentum longitudinale anterius.
Results:
It was observed that out of 95 sets of vertebral columns, 27 (28.42%) vertebral columns showed ossification. Out of 27 vertebral columns, 17 (17.89%) vertebral columns showed segmental type of ossification, 2 (2.11%) vertebral columns showed continuous type of ossification and 8 (8.42%) vertebral columns showed mixed type of ossification at different vertebral level.
Conclusion:
Such type of ossification will affect the biomechanics of the spine and may result in stiff neck, low back pain, dysphagia, odynophagia, compression of the brachial plexus, aphonia, immobility or mucosal thickening of larynx. Hence, knowledge of such abnormalities should be kept in mind to minimise serious complications in any surgical intervention or investigative procedures in the region.
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