title: The feasibility of transpedicular screw fixation of the subaxial cervical spine in the Arab population: a computed tomography-based morphometric study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transpedicular screw fixation of the cervical spine provides excellent biomechanical stability. The feasibility of inserting a 3.5-mm screw in the pedicle requires a minimum pedicle diameter of 4.5 mm. This diameter allows at least 0.5 mm bony bridge medially and laterally in order to avoid pedicle violation which can result in neurovascular complications. We aim to evaluate the feasibility of this technique in Arab people since no data are available about this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study involved a retrospective review of computed tomography scans of normal cervical spines of 99 Arab adults. Ten morphometric measurements were obtained. Data were analyzed using a p value of ≤0.05 as the cut-off level of statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our sample included 63 (63.6 %) males and 36 (36.4 %) females, with a mean age of 35.5 ± 16.5 years. The morphometric parameters of C3-C7 spine pedicles were larger in males than in females. The outer pedicle width (OPW) was <4.5 mm in >25 % of all subjects at C3-C6 vertebrae. Statistically significant differences in the OPW between males and females were noted at C3 (p = 0.032) and C6 (p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inserting pedicle screws in the subaxial cervical spine is feasible among the majority of Arab people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level 3.
authors: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, PO Box 24923, Safat, 13110, Kuwait City, Kuwait. osamas@hsc.edu.kw.|Department of Radiology, Al-Amiri Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait. osamas@hsc.edu.kw.
authors: Osama
authors: O
authors: Al-Saeed
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Al-Razi Orthopaedic Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
authors: Yousef
authors: Y
authors: Marwan
authors: Department of Radiology, Al-Amiri Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait.|Department of Radiology, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors: Osama Rabie
authors: OR
authors: Kombar
authors: Department of Radiology, Al-Amiri Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Samir
authors: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Kuwait University, PO Box 24923, Safat, 13110, Kuwait City, Kuwait.|Department of Radiology, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
authors: Mehraj
authors: M
authors: Sheikh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D001863:Bone Screws; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Anatomy; Cervical spine; Computed tomography; Pedicle; Screw fixation; Transpedicular fixation