LAUSR

OBJECTIVE Especially in anterior lumbar spinal surgery, knowledge of the vascular anatomy of lumbar arteries (LA) is important to avoid inflicting injury during surgery as this can lead to serious sequelae. We examined the morphological structure of this region. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifteen fresh human cadavers were studied in our forensic medicine institution. Within the first 24 hours after death, cadavers were subject to a routine autopsy, by which the intestines were removed and the structures adjacent to the LA were examined. The following characteristics of the LA were examined and recorded: diameter, number of LA, intervertebral disc, and vertebral corpus relationship, and LA anatomical variations. RESULTS In 14 of the 15 cadavers (93.3%), the first four LAs originated from the abdominal aorta. In one (6.7%) cadaver, the fourth LA originated from the right aortic trunk together with the median sacral artery (MSA), and this was observed only in the right side. In one cadaver, the first LAs emerged as a common trunk. Twelve cadavers did not have a fifth LA. In one cadaver (6.7%), the fifth LAs emerged as in a pair, distally from the origin of the MSA. Two cadavers (13.3%) had fifth LAs that emerged from the common trunk with the MSA and this occurred only on the right side Conclusion: We consider that anatomical study of lumbar arteries using fresh cadavers can be useful to ensure safer anterior lumbar spinal surgeries.