Abstract

Introduction: Seven cervical vertebrae constitute the skeletal framework of the neck. Along with the other identification points, the cardinal feature of a cervical vertebra whether typical or atypical is the presence of Foramen transversarium on the transverse process. This foramen transmits the Vertebral artery, Vertebral vein and Sympathetic nerves. These foramina are known to have variations in size, shape and numbers and may be absent, incomplete or duplicate, which may lead to various symptoms. Their etiology is related with the variations in the course of the Vertebral artery due to developmental reasons. Materials and methods: Three hundred dry human cervical vertebrae were collected and studied in the department of Anatomy, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore. We included all the Cervical vertebrae including Atlas, Axis and all other cervical vertebrae. We observed the presence, size, shape and variations of Foramen transversarium of cervical vertebrae during our study. Observations and results: Out of three hundred Cervical vertebrae, One hundred and twenty five cervical vertebrae (42%) had variations of Foramen transversarium like Complete / incomplete Accessory foramen, triple foramen on one side, absence of foramen on one side and unequal size of foramen on both the sides. The different types of shapes of foramen transversarium were also analysed and tabulated. The areas of foramen transversarium were measured after measuring all the diameters. Conclusion: Variations in the Foramen transversarium may indicate, the variation in the course of the Vertebral artery. The present study was important clinical implications for Head and neck and vascular surgeries. These variations should be kept in our mind during surgeries on cervical spine.

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