title: Ossified ligamentum longitudinale anterius in adult human dry vertebrae.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ligamentum longitudinale anterius is a broad and strong band of fibrous tissue that runs along the anterior surfaces of the bodies of the vertebrae.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of ossified ligamentum longitudinale anterius in adult dry human vertebra.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out on 95 sets of dry human vertebral columns irrespective of age and sex at Mayo Institute of Medical Sciences- Barabanki,-UP, Melaka Manipal Medical College-Manipal University and Department of Anatomy, KMCT Medical College, Manassery- Calicut, India. All the sets of vertebral columns were macroscopically inspected for the ossified ligamentum longitudinale anterius.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed that out of 95 sets of vertebral columns, 27 (28.42%) vertebral columns showed ossification. Out of 27 vertebral columns, 17 (17.89%) vertebral columns showed segmental type of ossification, 2 (2.11%) vertebral columns showed continuous type of ossification and 8 (8.42%) vertebral columns showed mixed type of ossification at different vertebral level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Such type of ossification will affect the biomechanics of the spine and may result in stiff neck, low back pain, dysphagia, odynophagia, compression of the brachial plexus, aphonia, immobility or mucosal thickening of larynx. Hence, knowledge of such abnormalities should be kept in mind to minimise serious complications in any surgical intervention or investigative procedures in the region.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Mayo Institute of Medical Sciences , Faizabad Road, Gadia, Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, India .
authors.forename: Kalyan Chakravarthi
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kosuri
authors.affiliation: Senior Grade Lecture, Department of Anatomy, Melaka Manipal Medical College (MMMC) , Manipal University, Manipal and Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Nelluri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Venumadhav
authors.affiliation: Lecturer, Department of Anatomy, KMCT Medical College , Manassery, Calicut, Kerala, India .
authors.forename: Siddaraju
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ks
keywords: Dysphagia; Kyphosis; Odynophagia