Necessity of rib head resection for anterior discectomy in the thoracic spine.
METHODS
The relation between the rib head and the thoracic disc was investigated anatomically.


OBJECTIVE
To clarify the necessity of rib head resection in thoracoscopic discectomy using the anterior approach.


BACKGROUND
When using the transthoracic anterior approach, the rib head must often be resected. However, there are no reports in which the relation between the rib head and the interspinal disc has been investigated.


METHODS
The distance between the inferior margin of the superior vertebral body and the superior margin proximal to the rib (hereafter, "rib index") was measured.


RESULTS
The rib index shows negative value in T2-T9 levels, while zero in Tl0 level and positive value T11-T12. The rib index of the fifth to ninth ribs in men was significantly smaller than those in women.


CONCLUSIONS
The surgeon should anticipate full removal of the rib head if operating at T9 and only partial resection below that level.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukushima Medical University, School of Medicine, Fukushima City, Japan. moro@fmu.ac.jp
Takatomo
T
Moro
Shin-ichi
S
Kikuchi
Shin-ichi
S
Konno
D000368:Aged; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012272:Ribs / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*