Lumbosacral and Spinopelvic Anatomy and Pathology - Upper Sacrum

Axial Section Upper Sacrum l cm Cauda

Axial section through the upper sacrum lcm caudal of the level in Slide 19. The sacroiliac joints are partially devoid of cartilage. Between the wide ventral (pelvine) sacral foramina the vestige of the S1–S2 disc is seen. A complex array of coarse fibers connects the sacrum to the sacrum to the iliac bone behind the sacroiliac joint. On the right side an elevation of the lateral crest of the scrum articulates with the tip of the ilium through a neoarthrosis. Note the virtual absence of cancellous bone in the lateral portions of the sacrum; the bone is replaced by bone marrow that has undergone fatty degeneration. The texture of the cancellous bone is preserved in the body–portion of SI, in its lamina and spinous process.

Color figures 3–9A, 3–9B and 3–10 depict a severe degenerative spinal stenosis at L4–L5 in a 70 year–old man with intermittent claudication and an isthmic spondylolisthesis at L4–L5 in a 44 year–old man with a history of recurrent radicular pain. These three illustrations are identical with Slides #7, #8 and #10 in the Slide Set "Thoracolumbar Spine Anatomy and Pathology".

©2000 Wolfgang Rauschning, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Clinical Anatomy
Academic University Hospital
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Uppsala, Sweden
Reproduction without permission is prohibited
http://www.akademiska.se/

Updated on: 02/01/10