DERMATOME VARIATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH TRANSITIONAL VERTEBRAE

Authors
Citation
S. Seyfert, DERMATOME VARIATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH TRANSITIONAL VERTEBRAE, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 63(6), 1997, pp. 801-803
Citations number
11
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
ISSN journal
0022-3050
Volume
63
Issue
6
Year of publication
1997
Pages
801 - 803
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-3050(1997)63:6<801:DVIPWT>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
Objectives-To test whether the position of lumbosacral dermatomes vari es in the presence of transitional vertebrae. Material and methods-Fif ty consecutive male patients were tested for thoracolumbar and lumbosa cral transitional vertebrae by radiography and for the position of the dermatome gap between the lumbar dermatomes L1, L2, L3, and the sacra l dermatomes S2 and S3. The dermatome gap was documented with the use of the cremasteric reflex, the receptive field of which ends sharply a t the gap which allows its delineation. Results-Thirty two of 50 patie nts had a normal thoracolumbosacral spinal configuration, 10 patients had transitional vertebrae. The patients with a cranial displacement o f the thoracolumbar or lumbosacral vertebral transition showed a derma tome gap which lay significantly more ventrally than in the patients w ith a normal spinal configuration. Conclusion-The finding supports the notion of a variant position of lumbosacral dermatomes in the presenc e of transitional vertebrae in males.