Applied anatomy of complete sacral de-afferentation at the dorsal conus medullaris in Asian spinal cord injury patients for sacral anterior root stimulated micturition

Objective: To provide anatomical basis for sacral complete de-afferentation at the conus medullaris. Methods:Ten adult spine specimens were dissected. The distances from the terminal tip of dorsal conus medullaris to different sacral cord level were measured. Results: Conus medullaris was about 3 cm long, and located between the level of T12 and L1. The distance from the dorsal conus medullaris terminal tip to 83 and 82 segments were 15.9±2.3 mm and 21.6±2.7 mm respectively. Conclusion: In sacral anterior root stimulated for micturition in Asians, complete bladder de-afferentation can be obtained by cutting the most distal 25 mm at the dorsal conus medullaris to interrupt all the S2 and below dorsal rootlets.