Turkish Neurosurgery
Morphometric analysis of lumbar arteries and relationship with intervertebral discs\', a study of surgical anatomy on human fresh cadavers..
Halil Can1, Furkan Diren 3, Barış Peker4, Cengiz Gömleksiz5, Doğan Güçlühan Güçlü6, Ceyhun Küçük7, Erdinç Civelek3, Aydın Aydoseli4, Altay Sencer4
1Biruni University, Neurosurgery, İstanbul,
2Private Medicine Hospital, Neurosurgery, Istanbul,
3Istanbul Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Training and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery, Istanbul,
4Istanbul University, Istanbul School of Medicine, Neurosurgery, Istanbul,
5Ministry of Health, Silivri State Hospital, Neurosurgery, Istanbul,
6University of Health Sciences, Bakırköy Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery, Istanbul,
7Turkish Republic Ministry of Justice, Forensic Medicine Institution, Morgue, Istanbul,
DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.29021-20.1

Objective: Especially in anterior lumbar spinal surgery, knowledge of the vascular anatomy of lumbar arteries (LA) is important to avoid inflicting injury during surgery as this can lead to serious sequelae. We examined the morphological structure of this region. Materials and methods: Fifteen fresh human cadavers were studied in our forensic medicine institution. Within the first 24 hours after death, cadavers were subject to a routine autopsy, by which the intestines were removed and the structures adjacent to the LA were examined. The following characteristics of the LA were examined and recorded: diameter, number of LA, intervertebral disc, and vertebral corpus relationship, and LA anatomical variations. Results: In 14 of the 15 cadavers (93.3%), the first four LAs originated from the abdominal aorta. In one (6.7%) cadaver, the fourth LA originated from the right aortic trunk together with the median sacral artery (MSA), and this was observed only in the right side. In one cadaver, the first LAs emerged as a common trunk. Twelve cadavers did not have a fifth LA. In one cadaver (6.7%), the fifth LAs emerged as in a pair, distally from the origin of the MSA. Two cadavers (13.3%) had fifth LAs that emerged from the common trunk with the MSA and this occurred only on the right side Conclusion: We consider that anatomical study of lumbar arteries using fresh cadavers can be useful to ensure safer anterior lumbar spinal surgeries.

Corresponding author : Barış Peker