SURGICAL ANATOMY OF DORSAL ROOT ENTRY ZONE OF CERVICAL SPINAL NERVES : CADAVERIC STUDY

Background: The main purpose of this study is to determine the detailed morphometric data of Dorsal Root Entry Zone (DREZ) of cervical spinal nerves. This knowledge is necessary for diagnosis, treatment and surgical management of pain due to many conditions like brachial plexus avulsion injury, post-herpetic neuralgia, phantom pain and cancer pain involved in cervical myelo-radiculopathy. There are fewer studies reported in this field of DREZ. Materials and Methods: Twenty five adult formalin fixed cadavers are taken for this study. Conventional Spinal cord dissection is followed as per Cunningham’s Dissection Mannual. Findings: The parameters included are Number of dorsal rootlets, Longitudinal Length of DREZ, Distance between two successive DREZ, Length of dorsal rootlets, Distance between right and left DREZ, Distance between DREZ and Ligamentum denticulatum, Cranial angles of Superior & inferior rootlets. Results: Results were noted for all the parameters and are compared with the previous studies. The significant observations are obtained. Conclusion: Surgical anatomy of Dorsal Root Entry Zone (DREZ) of cervical spinal nerves will be useful for the neurosurgeons doing Drezotomy procedure, in which the nociceptive fibres alone are specifically severed with preservation of other sensations