title: [The anatomic study of transferring thoracic nerve roots to lumbar nerve root inside the spinal canal of paraplegia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the fundamental anatomy of transferring T(9-12) nerve roots to L(2-4) nerve root for the quadriceps function recovery inside the spinal canal of paraplegia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thoracic and lumbar spinal canal and spinal dura mater of 5 adult cadavers (male 2 and female 3) were opened and explored. Investigated including: the position which T₉-L₄ nerve root generated from spinal cord; the relation between the position which T₉-L₄ nerve root generated from spinal cord and T₁₂ vertebrae and L₁ vertebrae; The length beginning part of T₉-L₄ nerve root inside the spinal canal. The diameter of T₉-L₄ nerve root. The distance between the T₉-L₄ nerve root separately. The distance between the position which T(9-12) nerve root separately generated from dura mater and the middle of L₂ vertebrae.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T₉ nerve root generated from the middle part of T₉ vertebrae; L₄ nerve root generates from middle part of L₂ vertebrae. The average length of T₉-L₄ nerve root inside the spinal canal separately was 16.12, 22.97, 30.43, 43.47, 56.02, 70.03, 88.70 and 113.65 mm. The average diameter of T₉-L₄ nerve root separately was 2.45, 2.04, 1.96, 2.18, 2.32, 2.56, 3.10 and 3.26 mm. The average distance between the beginning part of T₉-L₄ nerve root separately was 22.87, 25.08, 28.47, 27.38, 29.78, 31.93 and 31.00 mm. The average distance between the position which T(9-12) nerve root separately generated from dura mater and the middle of L₂ vertebrae was 118.69, 95.82, 70.74, and 42.27 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T(9-12) nerve root can be used as donor nerve for repair L(2-4) nerve root. The level of L₂ vertebrae can be anastomose site of the recipient nerve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
authors.forename: Qing-jun
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Zhi-wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Tian-bing
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D016067:Nerve Transfer; D013115:Spinal Canal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology