Morphometric Analysis of the Ventral Nerve Roots and Retroperitoneal Vessels With Respect to the Minimally Invasive Lateral Approach in Normal and Deformed Spines

Abstract

The safe corridor for performing the discectomy and inserting the intervertebral cage narrows from L1-L2 to the L4-L5 level. This corridor is further narrowed with rotatory deformity of the spine. Using the preoperative MRI to assess the relative position of the adjacent neuro-vascular structures in relation to the lower vertebra's endplate at each level is recommended.