title: Surgical Anatomy of the Longus Colli Muscle and Uncinate Process in the Cervical Spine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There have been a few previous reports regarding the distances between the medial borders of the longus colli to expose the disc space. However, to our knowledge, there are no reports concerning longus colli dissection to expose the uncinate processes. This study was undertaken to assess the surgical relationship between the longus colli muscle and the uncinate process in the cervical spine.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 120 Korean patients randomly selected from 333 who had cervical spine MRIs and CTs from January 2003 to October 2013. They consisted of 60 males and 60 females. Each group was subdivided into six groups by age from 20 to 70 years or more. We measured three parameters on MRIs from C3 to T1: left and right longus colli distance and inter-longus colli distance. We also measured three parameters on CT: left and right uncinate distance and inter-uncinate distance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The longus colli distances, uncinate distances, and inter-uncinate distances increased from C3 to T1. The inter-longus colli distances increased from C3 to C7. There was no difference in longus colli distances and uncinate distances between males and females. There was no difference in the six parameters for the different age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although approximate guidelines, we recommend the longus colli be dissected approximately 5 mm at C3-5, 6 mm at C5-6, 7 mm at C6-7, and 8 mm at C7-T1 to expose the uncinate process to its lateral edge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea. amhangpark@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Moon Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Hwan
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Keun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Kun Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Columbia University, The Spine Hospital at NY-Presbyterian/Allen Hospital, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: K Daniel
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Riew
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004210:Dissection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011897:Random Allocation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cervical spine; longus colli muscle; surgery; uncinate process