Observation and measurement of applied anatomical features for thoracic intervertebral foramen puncture on computed tomography images

BACKGROUND Thoracic intervertebral foramen puncture is the key step for interventional therapy on the thoracic nerve roots or dorsal root ganglia.The anatomical features of the thoracic spine are complex,and puncture injury to the pleura,blood vessels,spinal cord,and other tissues may cause serious complications.The spatial anatomical characteristics and related parameters for thoracic intervertebral foramen puncture remain poorly understood.AIM To observe and summarize the spatially applied anatomical characteristics for intervertebral foramen puncture on different vertebral segments.METHODS A total of 88 patients(41 males and 47 females)who underwent thoracic minimally invasive interventional treatment at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2019 to June 2020 were included.Computed tomography images of 167 thoracic vertebral segments scanned in the prone position were collected.The width of the intertransverse space(D_(P)),the height of the rib neck/head above the lower transverse process(D_(R)),the width of the lateral border of the articular process/lamina(W_(P)),and the width of the posterior border of the vertebral body(W_(V))were measured.At the upper 1/3 of the intervertebral foramina,the horizontal inclination angle(α)from the lateral border of the articular process/lamina to the posterolateral border of the vertebral body was measured.The ratios D_(R)/D_(P) and W_(P)/W_(V) were calculated.The intervertebral foramen parameters were compared between segments.RESULTS No rib head/neck occlusion(D_(R)/D_(P)>0)was found in the intertransverse spaces of T1-2 and T12-L1.The incidence of occlusion for the upper thoracic segments(T1-5,n=138),middle thoracic segments(T5-9,n=116),and lower thoracic segments(T9-L1,n=80)were 76.81%,100%,and 82.50%,respectively.The incidence of occlusion for the middle thoracic segments was significantly higher than that for the upper and lower thoracic segments(P<0.05).The incidence of>1/2 occlusion(D_(R)/D_(P)>1/2)for the upper,middle,and lower thoracic segments was 7.97%,74.14%,and 32.50%,respectively.The incidence of>1/2 occlusion for the middle thoracic segments was significantly higher than that for the upper and lower thoracic segments(P<0.05).W_(P) was longer than W_(V) on T1-2 to T9-10 and shorter than W_(V) on T10-11 to T12-L1.The horizontal puncture angle(α)into the external opening of the intervertebral foramina was positively correlated with the segments of the thoracic vertebrae from the cephalic to caudal portion(left:r=0.772,P<0.01;right:r=0.771,P<0.01),and the horizontal inclination angle for T11-12 and T12-L1 was 90°.CONCLUSION It is necessary to identify the spatial impact of the rib head/neck on the puncture path of the intervertebral foramina and design appropriate puncture angles for different segments.

Applied anatomy of intrusive operations of lumbar intervertebral foramen

Objective:To provide anatomical datum for intrusive operations of lumbar intervertebral foramen,especially that using acupuncture-knife as intrusive tool.Methods:To dissect 10 antisepsis cadavers and observe the exposed blood vessels,ligaments,nerves and their adjacent relations in L1/2~L5/S1intervertebral foramen.Results:Lumbar intervertebral foramen exit zones were almost sealed by nerves and blood vessels.There were two zones with relatively no blood vessel and nerve(triangular working zones)located in the midpoint of the distance between two adjacent roots of transverse processus,and clung to lamina of vertebral arch,and they were also found upon the margo superior of the root of transverse processus,but the ascending lumbar vein or(and)the rami anastomoticus between the remi inferior of intervertebral vein and lumbar veins were observed in 12%triangular working zones upon the margo superior of root of transverse processus.Conclusions:"Triangular working zone"was relatively avascular zone.Pay attention to the possibilty of presence of blood vessels on the entrance passage of intrusive operations on lumbar side rear.The needlepoint should be pierced at the midpoint of the distance between two adjacent roots of transverse processus and cling to the outer edge of lamina of vertebral arch when doing the foraminal lumbar puncture.As lumbar intervertebral foramina exit zone was almost sealed by nerves and blood vessels,blind incising and debonding with acupuncture-knife in this area was relatively much more dangerous.

Effects of percutaneous intervertebral foraminal BEIS technique on patients with lumbar disc herniation

Objective:To compare the application effects of percutaneous percutanuous intervertebral foraminal BEIS(Broad Easy Immediate Surgery)technique on patients with lumbar disc herniation.Methods:Eighty-six patients with lumbar disc herniation treated in the Seventh People’s Hospital of Zibo City from Mary 2016 to May 2019 were selected and divided into control group and study group according to the simple randomization of random number table method,with 43 cases in each group.Patients in control group were treated with lamina fenestration while patients in study group were treated with percutanuous intervertebral foraminal BEIS technique.The surgical status and hospital stay,complications,pain[Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)score],Oswestry Disability Index(ODI)score and quality of life[MOS 36-item Short From Health Survey(SF-36)]were compared between the two groups.Results:The surgical time in study group was longer than that in control group,and the incision length was shorter than that in control group,and the fluoroscopy frequency was more than that in control group,and the intraoperative blood loss was less than that in control group,and the hospital stay was shorter than that in control group(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of postoperative complications between the two groups(P>0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the between-group effects,timepoint effects and interaction effects of VAS pain score(P<0.05),and the VAS pain score in study group at 24 h and 1 w after surgery was significantly lower than that in control group(P<0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in the group-between effects and interaction effects of ODI score(P>0.05),and there were statistically significant differences in the time-point effects(P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the betweengroup effects,time-point effects and interaction effects of SF-36 score(P<0.05).The ODI score at 3 months after surgery in study group was lower than that in control group while the SF-36 score was higher than that in control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Compared with traditional lamina fenestration,percutanuous intervertebral foraminal BEIS technique has the advantages of less trauma and quicker postoperative recovery in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.Self-made simple locator can reduce the fluoroscopy frequency,improve the accuracy of positioning,further reduce surgical trauma and promote recovery of patients.

Differential diagnosis of cervical nerve compression syndrome of the external intervertebral foramen

The aim of the present research is to study the mechanism of cervical nerve compression syndrome of the external intervertebral foramen and its differential diagnosis with cervical spondylosis.Diagnostic treatment with muscle relaxant,vasodilator,neurotrophic medicine and celecoxib(COX)-2 inhibitor were performed in 20 patients with cervical nerve compression syndrome of the external intervertebral foramen and 20 patients with cervical spondylosis confirmed by operation.Diagnostic local block therapy was performed additionally in cases showing little effect after diagnostic treatment.All the patients were followed up postoperatively for more than one year.Fifteen cases with cervical nerve compression syndrome of the external intervertebral foramen were healed by the diagnostic treatment.The other five cases had a short-term remission and there was no recurrence after diagnostic local block therapy.Diagnostic treatment led to short-term alleviation of the symptom in 20 cases with cervical spondylosis confirmed by operation,the results of which was far from satisfactory and operation was undertaken finally in all the 20 cases.The etiology of cervical nerve compression syndrome of the external intervertebral foramen lies in the compression of the cervical plexus,brachial plexus and cervical dorsal rami by the tendinous decussating fibers of the scalenus anticus,medius,minimus and the posterior muscles of the neck.Diagnostic treatment was propitious to differentiate cervical nerve compression syndrome of the external intervertebral foramen from cervical spondylosis.