Intradural anastomoses between the cervical spinal nerves: Anatomical study.

Introduction: Peripheral nerves can present anastomoses at different levels, with intraspinal anastomoses being relatively common, but little studied.

Objective: To study the presence and number of intradural anastomoses of the cervical spinal nerves in the Latin population.

Materials and methods: 14 adult corpses of both sexes were dissected, fixed in formaldehyde solution. Sex of the corpse, existence of anastomosis, side, height of the anastomoses and sensory/motor origin were recorded.

Results: of the 14 corpses, 8 were male and 6 were female. Eleven cases presented anastomoses (79%), 8 of them bilaterally. In the total number of corpses, 52 anastomoses were found, 43 were between sensory roots (83%) and 9 between motor roots (17%). The levels where anastomoses were found most frequently were C1-C2 and C2-C3 (63% of the total).

Discussion and conclusions: intraspinal anastomoses between motor or sensory nerves can vary the clinical presentation of spinal cord injuries, radicular or medullar compressions, brachial plexus lesions or nerve root tumors, because the sensory or motor information of a given spinal cord level may be exiting the neuraxis with the adjacent spinal nerve.