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Updated: Sep 20, 2026
An Anesthesia, Surgery, and Harvest Method for the Evaluation of Transpedicular Screws Using an In Vivo Porcine Lumbar Spine Model
Published on: May 31, 2017
Morphometric Analysis of Pedicles of Typical Thoracic Vertebrae for Transpedicular Screw Fixation: A Study From
Gyanaranjan Nayak1, Sujita Pradhan1, Lopamudra Nayak1
1Anatomy, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) and SUM Hospital, Campus II, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, IND.
Introduction:
Transpedicular screw fixation has emerged as an indispensable technique in thoracic spine surgery for conditions ranging from traumatic fractures to deformity correction and tumour resection. Precise morphometric knowledge of pedicle dimensions is mandatory to avoid neurovascular complications during screw placement. Data from the Indian subcontinent, and particularly from Eastern India, remain sparse, underscoring the need for region-specific anatomical studies.
Methods:
A descriptive morphometric study was conducted at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital Campus II, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, between January 2024 and March 2026. Pedicle height (PH), pedicle width (PW), chord length (CL), interpedicular distance (IPD), transverse pedicle angle (TPA), and sagittal pedicle angle (SPA) were measured bilaterally on 106 specimens of typical thoracic vertebrae (T2-T8) using Vernier callipers and a goniometer as per standardised protocols.
Results:
Mean PH was 10.56 ± 1.24 mm (right) and 10.56 ± 1.31 mm (left). Mean PW was 4.93 ± 0.96 mm (right) and 5.02 ± 0.94 mm (left). Mean CL was 37.06 ± 4.84 mm (right) and 38.14 ± 4.44 mm (left). Mean IPD was 14.78 ± 1.50 mm. Mean TPA was 12.57 ± 1.78° (right) and 12.49 ± 1.17° (left). Mean SPA was 13.60 ± 1.50° (right) and 10.78 ± 0.76° (left).
Conclusion:
The pedicle dimensions recorded in this Eastern Indian cohort are distinct from those reported in Western and other Asian populations. The narrow pedicle width observed at mid-thoracic levels warrants cautious screw selection. These data provide a clinically relevant morphometric reference to guide safer transpedicular instrumentation in the region.
