Applied anatomy of anterior uncovertebral joint resection

Objective To provide the applied anatomical fundamental data for the clinical operation of anterior uncovertebral joint resection.Methods 15 dry cervical vertebrae specimens from C3 to C6,the values of cervical vertebrae were measured.The main measurements included:①the transverse diameter and the anterior-posterior diameter of the transverse foramen;②the distance between uncinate and transverse foramen;③the width of the anterior wall of the transverse foramen;④the distance between uninate and intervetebral foramen;⑤the angulation between two planes of intervetebral foramens.14 adult cadaverous speciments,to observe:①the distance between the vertebral artery and the midline at C3、C4、C5、C6 levels;②the length in the transverse foramen and the length between the two transverse foramens of the V2 segment;③the transverse diameter and the vertical diameter of intervetebral foramen.Results ①Among C3-C6,the narrowest transverse diameter was at C5;② the width of the anterior wall of the transverse foramen increased from C3 to C6;③the narrowest distance between uninate and intervetebral foramen was at C6;④the distance between the vertebral artery and the midline increased from C3 to C6.Conclusion The key to awoid the injury to the vertebral artery is a good understanding of the regional anatomy.