Far lateral disc hernias account for ten percent of all symptomatic disc hernias, usually located at L3-L4 and L4-L5 levels. For many years, the surgical approach to foraminal and extraforaminal lumbar disc hernias was provided through the median posterior access way, with total or partial hemilaminectomy and facetectomy. The advantage of the surgical approach for this pathology through the paramedian way, between the multifidus and longissimus muscles (Wiltse’s access) is to spare patients from bone losses and to allow a more oblique view of the neuroforamen. Moreover, this approach allows for accessing the L4-L5 disc and its potential extraforaminal herniations with minimum L4 root mobilization. Our objective is to assess the potential correlation between anthropometric parameters and the L4 root topography. Twenty-one cadavers (42 sides) were dissected and some parameters were measured: cadavers’ weight and height, width of the L5 transverse process, distance between L5 transverse process base and the point where the L4 root crosses it. The analysis of data allows us to conclude that no statistically significant correlation exists among the involved variables.
Radiculopathy; Low back pain; Spine; Laminectomy; Sciatic neuropathy
