Purpose:
The aim of this study is to investigate the anatomic morphometry of the lumbar pedicles and support to calculate the best diameter and length of screws used in lumbar instrumentation.
Materials-Method:
We inspected 86 patients’ data retrospectively from the patient files. We measured the lumbar vertebras pedicles diameters from the thickest pedicle image shown in axial bone images of computed tomography (CT) and length of the pedicle-corpus distance from the beginning of posterior pedicle to the end of the corpus vertebra with the line passes through the middle of the pedicle. All of the lumbar vertebrae were measured bilaterally from L1 to L5.
Results:
Fifty-six patients were male (65.1 %), and 30 were female (34.9 %). Mean age of the patients was 40.8 ± 15.6 (18-60) years. Analyses revealed that only pedicle diameters at L2, L4, and L5 levels were similar between males and females, and all other measurement were significantly different between. The measurements were significantly higher in males, when compared to females. The results showed that pedicle diameters were significantly increased from L1 through L5, both in left and right sides (p<0.001, for each). The pedicle-corpus diameters were also showed significant differences between lumbar vertebras (p<0.001, for each), and L4 and L5 values significantly lower than the others at right, and L4 values significantly lower than the others at left side.
Conclusion:
Preoperative CT based lumbar pedicle morphometric data assessment in preoperative planning of spinal surgery is advisable because of the large variations, so that intra and postoperative complications can be avoided.
Keywords: Lumbar vertebra morphometry, Lumbar vertebra pedicle morphometry, Lumbar vertebra pedicle diameter