Morphological cross-sectional study of anatomical landmarks for foramen transversarium in dry human cervical vertebrae and its surgical importance

Background: Surgeries such as discectomy, intervertebral fusion, anterior microforaminotomy, and anterior screw fixation can damage neurovascular content of foramen transversarium of cervical vertebrae. The aim of this study was to measure outer limit and strength of foramen transversarium with help of uncinate process, anterior tubercle, and anterior root thickness. Methodology: A total of 54 dried human cervical vertebrae collected from anatomy department. Only third to seventh cervical vertebrae were included. Digital vernier caliper was used to measure transverse length (TL) of body, bilateral distance of uncinate process, and anterior tubercle from mid of cervical vertebral body and thickness of mid of anterior root. Results: Mean TL of body of cervical vertebrae was 23.87 mm, mean distance of uncinate process from vertebral body was 9.14 mm on right and 8.49 mm on left (P < 0.0001), mean distance of anterior tubercle from vertebral body was 20.81 mm on right and 20.36 mm on left (P < 0.014), mean thickness of anterior root was 1.48 mm on right and 1.36 mm on left (P < 0.1003) whereas mean distance between uncinate process was 18.4 mm. Conclusion: Mean TL of cervical vertebrae was 23.8 mm, distance of uncinate process was 8.81 mm from the center, distance of anterior tubercle to uncinate process was 20.72 mm and thickness of anterior root was 1.43 mm. Uncinate process and anterior tubercle distance from mid of cervical vertebrae body can help surgeons to identify zone and avoid injury to contents.