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The vertebral foramen: a report concerning its contents
F de Peretti1, I Hovorka, P Ganansia
1Service d'Orthopédie Traumatologie, Hôpital St Roch, Nice, France.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy : SRA
|January 1, 1993
Summary
The vertebral foramen contains less neural tissue than expected, with cerebrospinal fluid occupying significant space. Surgeons should consider these findings during spinal decompression procedures.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Morphometry
- Spinal cord anatomy
Background:
- The vertebral foramen houses the spinal cord, nerve roots, and cerebrospinal fluid.
- Understanding the relative proportions of these components is crucial for spinal surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively analyze the cross-sectional areas occupied by neural tissue and cerebrospinal fluid within the vertebral foramen at different spinal levels.
- To provide anatomical data relevant to surgical interventions like laminectomy and decompression.
Main Methods:
- Embalmed human vertebral columns (n=13) were sectioned transversely at C6, T1, T6, L1, L3, and L5.
- Photographic analysis and computer-assisted measurements (Canvas, Statview) were used to determine the surface area of the vertebral foramen and its contents.
Main Results:
- Neural tissue occupied a mean of 34.4% at C6, decreasing to 19.3% at L5.
- Cerebrospinal fluid occupied a mean of 25.2% at C6, increasing to a maximum of 43.5% at L3.
- Nervous tissue consistently occupied less than one-third of the vertebral foramen area across all measured levels.
Conclusions:
- The vertebral foramen has substantial space occupied by cerebrospinal fluid, not just neural elements.
- These morphometric findings are critical for surgeons performing spinal decompression to avoid neurological injury.