Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The surgical instruments of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) have been shown to be designed according to the body of the Western. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the related anatomy technique.
OBJECTIVE: To measure the lumbar intervertebral foramen and the anatomical data associated with TLIF.
METHODS: Intervertebral foramen width, length, and height of 14 normal adult cadavers lumbar spine were observed; the distance from structure of the lumbar spine to the midst sagittal plane from L₃ to L₅ was measured as well.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Lumbar intervertebral foramen width gradually become smaller from L₁ to L₅; the height was gradually increased from L₁ to L₄, and _L5 was slightly smaller than L₄; the height was significantly greater than the width from L₁ to L₅ (P < 0.01); the length of intervertebral foramen was gradually increased from L₁ to L₅ as well (P < 0.05). The distance from the lateral margin of the pars interarticularis to the midst sagittal plane from L₃ to L₅ was gradually increased, and the distance from inferior articular process to the midst sagittal plane from L₃ to L₅ was increased as well. There was no significant difference in gender or two sides (P > 0.05). Results showed that 9-14 mm single posterolateral threaded fusion cage can be inserted by intervertebral foramen approach in Chinese. Single cage implant do not pull dura or nerve roots, thereby preventing spinal cord and nerve root injury.