OBJECTIVE To study the pattern and changes of lumbar intervertebral foraminal heights in an asymptomatic Jordanian sample relative to age, sex, level, and correlate values with midpoint vertebral and disc heights. METHODS One hundred and fifty-three patients (87 male and 66 female) were selected during the study period. The study was carried out at the Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jorda...

Aim: To evaluate the foraminal transportation during foraminal enlargement after manual instrumentation with stainless steel files, preparation with the Mtwo system and Reciproc R25 file. Methods: Thirty roots were selected, divided in three groups and prepared in accordance with the different instrumentation systems: Hand Files (HF); Mtwo system (MS); and Reciproc system (RS). All groups were ...

Introduction: Traditional interventional pain management only provides temporary relief that depend on the patient’s natural healing to mitigate pain. Visualizing the patho-anatomy with an endoscope targeting the pathoanatomy by interventional needle trajectories, however, has opened the door for surgical decompression and ablation of the pain generators. Endoscopic spine surgery is effective u...

A cadaveric study was performed to investigate the relationship between disc degeneration and morphological changes in the intervertebral foramen of cervical spine, including the effect on the nerve root. Seven fresh frozen human cadavers were dissected from C1 to T1, preserving the ligaments, capsules, intervertebral disc and the neural structures. The specimens were scanned with MRI and then ...

The technique we describe was developed for cervical foraminal stenosis for cases in which a keyhole foraminotomy would not be effective. Many cervical stenosis cases are so severe that keyhole foraminotomy is not successful. However, the technique outlined in this study provides adequate enlargement of an entire cervical foraminal diameter. This study reports on a novel foraminal expansion tec...

STUDY DESIGN A biomechanical and anatomic study with human cadaveric lumbar spine. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to examine the morphologic changes in the intervertebral foramen during flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation of the lumbar spine and to correlate these changes with the flexibility of the spinal motion segments. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Previous stu...

We made a prospective study of 43 consecutive patients treated for intraforaminal (34) or extraforaminal (9) herniations of a lumbar disc by excision through an interlaminar approach, using an operating microscope. The intraforaminal herniations were contained or extruded in 52% and sequestrated in 47%; for extraforaminal herniation the proportions were 66% and 33%, respectively. There was addi...

INTRODUCTION: Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) using threaded cages has been shown to reduce segmental motion and restore the disc space. The effectiveness of these stand-alone cages in restoration and maintenance of intervertebral foramens has received little attention. Foraminal height reduces an average of 6.5 mm following disc removal, and interbody cages may indirectly increase and ...