Anatomical study and clinical significance of basivertebral foramen of S1 vertebra

Background: Chronic low-back pain affects majority of the population worldwide. A paucity of data on the morphology of basivertebral foramen of S1 vertebra hampers the understanding of vertebrogenic cause of chronic low-back pain. The aim of the study was to investigate normal adult basivertebral foramen (S1) morphometry and discuss its clinical significance. Materials and Methods: One hundred sacra that consisted of dry bone and computed tomography scans were included in the study. All the morphometric analyses on dry sacra were performed using sliding caliper. Topographic location of the basivertebral foramen was studied based on its distance from the upper rim of the S1 body and the closest distance from the nearest point of origin of pedicles. Shape, number, height, and depth of the basivertebral foramen were noted. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis was done using GraphPad Prism version 7 for Windows, (GraphPad Software, Boston, Massachusetts, USA). Results: The basivertebral foramina was found in the posterior aspect of the body of the S1 vertebra. The shape of the foramina varied from round, tear-shaped, slit-like, and comma-shaped. The mean depth of the foramen correlated with the anterior-posterior diameter of the body of the S1 vertebra. Conclusions: Detailed knowledge of these foramen could be important for medical education because they could cause changing operation techniques during surgeries and in the treatment of chronic low-back pain.