As a part of basic investigations to elucidate the mechanism of lumbago formation,200 spinal rami samples from lumbar arteries corresponding to the first to fourth lumbar nerve ganglion in 25 Japanese fetuses were evaluated in relation to their origin, divergence, direction and distribution. Through these investigations, the following results were obtained.
1. By observing the spinal rami in relation to their origin and distribution, the following four branches can be identified.
1) The basivertebral artery (a. basivertebralis) in 199 samples out of 200(99.5%).
2) The superior branch in 200 samples out of 200 (100%).
3) The middle branch in 63 samples out of 200 (31.5%).
4) The inferior branch in 164 samples out of 200 (82.0%).
2. The superior branch is the main artery reaching the lumbar ganglion, anterior root, posterior root and spinal cord. In 146 samples out of 200, or 73.0%, it forms a common stem with the basivertebral artery. Its origin was classified into the following five types according to its relationship with the basivertebral artery.
Type I: Both the superior branch and basivertebral artery originate from the lumbar artery as independent branches (25.5%).
Type II: The superior branch forms a common stem with the basivertebral artery and both branches diverge almost equally (28.5%).
Type III: The superior branch forms a common stem with the basivertebral arteiy. thereafter, the basivertebral artery becomes the main trunk, from which the superior branch diverges (42.5%).
Type IV: The superior branch forms a common stem with the basivertebral artery. Thereafter, the superior branch becomes the main trunk, from which the basivertebral artery diverges (2.0%)
Type V: Anomalous type (1.5%)
3. The conditions of the distribution of the superior branch to the lumbar ganglion are classified into the following three types.
Type I: At the region of the lumbar ganglionic ampulla, the superior branch penetrates deeply into the confluent area of the anterior and posterior roots (70.3%)
Type II: The superior branch tends to run on the surface of the lumbar ganglion for a long distance, then along the confluent area of the anterior and posterior roots, finally perforating the dura mater (18.5%)
Type III: At the region of the lumbar ganglionic ampulla, the periphery of the superior branch subdivides arborescently and reaches the surface of the lumbar ganglion (11.2%).
4. The middle branch originates directly from the trunk of the lumbar artery as an independent branch and proceeds directly toward the lumbar ganglionic surface (73.2%).
5. The inferior branch originates primarily from the dorsal branch of the lumbar artery and proceeds directly to the nerve ganglionic surface (64.7%).
6. Among the superior, middle and inferior branches,51 samples out of 200, or 25.5%, showed anastomosis at the lumbar ganglionic surface. As to modes of anastomosis, the following two types were observed. One is the mode where both branches are connected to each other by a communicating branch. The other is the mode where both branches form a V-shaped anastomosis.
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