Background

The anatomical features of the thoracic nerve roots in connection with intervertebral discs may prevent surgery-related complications and improve patients’ neurological functional status during thoracic spine surgery. There is limited literature evidence regarding this concept using cadavers.

Purpose

To elucidate the qualitative anatomical features of the thoracic nerve roots in connection with intervertebral discs.

Material and Methods

Fifteen formalin-preserved spine specimens were used in this study. Small pieces of stainless-steel wires were placed along the root sleeves from their points of origin, after exposing the dural sac and bilateral nerve roots. The standard anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were taken after the placement of the wires. Measurements were done on radiographs using the picture archiving communication system.

Results

Take-off angles of the nerve roots at the coronal plane gradually increased from the level of T2 (36.1°±2.72°) to T9 (84.1°±1.84°) and from T9, it decreased to T12 (46.3° ± 2.67°). Similar variation tendency was discovered in take-off angles of the nerve roots at the sagittal plane. No consistent tendency was found both in the distance from the origin of the root sleeve to its superior and inferior vertebral endplate. Distance from the origin of the root sleeve to the posterior midline (DM) exponentially decreased from T1 (8.2 ± 0.87 mm) to T4 (6.0 ± 0.93 mm). It slowly increased from T5 (5.5 ± 0.68 mm) to T12 (10.9 ± 1.79 mm), with T5 having the smallest DM. Distance between the origins of neighboring nerve roots showed an obvious increase from the T1–T2 interval (23.1 ± 2.22 mm) to T7–T8 interval (30.9 ± 2.68 mm). However, it progressively decreased at the T10–T11 interval (26.0 ± 2.40 mm).

Conclusion

The dimensions of the thoracic nerve roots vary greatly from T1 to T12 intervertebral discs. Sound knowledge of these anatomical features of the thoracic nerve is mandatory for the thoracic spine surgery, especially in the posterolateral approach and transforaminal endoscopic surgery.