Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The application of total disc replacement (TDR) is common for decade years. However, there are few systematic studies with large samples addressing lumbar disc measurement related to TDR in Chinese.
OBJECTIVE: To provide a reference and theoretical principle for prosthesis design and replacement procedure of the lumbar disc in Chinese.
METHODS: Forty-one intact lumbar spines were anatomized in adult cadavers (male 22, female 19), and cartilage cross-section thickness of the vertebral body was measured. Totally 157 standard lumbar spine X-ray films of normal adult (anterior-posterior and lateral views, male 89, female 68) were randomly selected. Lower/upper transverse diameter, lower/upper anteroposterior diameter and lumbar intervertebral space height were measured.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: X-ray films of adult cadavers and normal adult with standard lumbar spine showed that there were no gender differences in cartilage cross-section thickness of the vertebral body, lower/upper transverse diameter, lower/upper anteroposterior diameter and lumbar intervertebral space height (P > 0.05). There was significant difference in adjacent vertebral body transverse diameters or adjacent antero-posterior diameters except L1/2, L4/5 antero-posterior diameter and L3/4 transverse diameter (P < 0.05). However, the differences were all slight in measurement outcomes. Lumbar intervertebral space widened gradually, and anterior height was larger than posterior height. The angle between endplates adjacent to L5/S1 intervertebral space was larger in evidence.