Anatomical Examination on Travel of Cervical Nerve Root

Abstract

We investigated the morphological characteristics of cervical nerve roots in 38 cadavers. The cadavers consisted of 20 males and 18 females with a mean age of 75 years (range : 44 to 93 years). The morphological correlation between the ventral nerve root and dorsal nerve root was classified into three types.
Type I in which one anterior root joins one dorsal root. Type II in which two anterior roots join one dorsal root. Type III in which two anterior roots become one again and joins one dorsal root. The results of macroscopic investigation from C3 to C8 nerve roots in 38 cadavers were as follows : TypeI was mainly found in 261 roots (82.9%), typeII in 37 roots (11.7%), and type III in 17 roots (5.4%). In the lower cervical spine such as C6 and C7, type II and III were more frequently found than those of the upper cervical level.