MORPHOMETRIC STUDY OF LUMBAR SPINE PEDICLES IN A WEST AFRICAN POPULATION AND SURGICAL IMPLICATION IN PEDICULE SCREWS

Résumé

Lumbar pedicles are usually used as screw insertion sites for stabilization of degenerative and traumatic lesions of lumbar spine. In preoperative planning, the dimensions of screw (length and diameter) and their orientation must be matched to the pedicle morphometry. The aim of this study was to provide lumbar pedicle morphometric characteristics of sub-Saharan African subjects for direct surgical application.

Methodology: A radio-anatomical study was done on the lumbar pedicles of 42 adults (17 male and 25 female) representing 420 pedicles ,from June 1 to October 26, 2021 at the radiology department of the University Hospital of Cocody. The data were collected from the axial and sagittal section scans and measurements were made. A Student's t-test was performed to compare pedicle morphometric data by gender.

Results: The pedicle transverse angle ranged from 24.0 to 35.7 degrees in male and from 23.3 to 34.4 degrees in female, with a significant gender difference. Pedicle diameters ranged from 7.06 to 13.4 mm in male and from 6.53 to 12.4mm in female. Pedicle height ranged from 9.07 to 13.5 mm in male and 9.46 to 13.4 mm in female ,decreasing caudally. The maximum length of a lumbar pedicle screw ranged from 10.1mm to 12.2mm in male versus 11.2 to 12.4mm in female and  was significantly different according to gender at L1 (p=0.0337) and L2 (0.0419).

Conclusion: This study provides important pedicle morphometric data to spine surgeons for selection of pedicle screws.