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Surgical Anatomy of the Sacral Hiatus for Caudal Access to the Spinal Canal

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Book cover Advances in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Therapy for Spine and Nerves

Part of the book series: Acta Neurochirurgica Supplementum ((NEUROCHIRURGICA,volume 108))

Abstract

The sacral hiatus is used for access to the spinal canal in many neurosurgical and anesthesiologic procedures. The aim of the present paper is to give a review of its anatomical characteristics relevant to permit correct and uncomplicated accesses. The sacral hiatus is posteriorly closed by the superficial dorsal sacrococcygeal ligament (also called sacrococcygeal membrane) which has to be pierced in order to gain the sacral canal. The mean distance between the hiatal apex and the dural sac has been reported to be 45–60.5 mm in adults and 31.4 mm in children. The mean sacral space depth has been observed to be 4.6 mm in adults and 3.5 mm in infants. On the basis of anatomical measurements of the sacral hiatus, lower insertion angles have been suggested in infant with respect to adult subjects (21° vs. 58°).

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Conflict of interest statement We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Anatomy, Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University of Padova, Via A. Gabelli 65, 35127, Padova, Italy

    Andrea Porzionato, Veronica Macchi & Raffaele De Caro

  2. Section of Pathologic Anatomy, Department of Medical Diagnostic Sciences and Special Therapies, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

    Anna Parenti

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  1. Andrea Porzionato
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  2. Veronica Macchi
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  3. Anna Parenti
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  4. Raffaele De Caro
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto per lo studio e la cura delle, mallettie del sistema nervoso perif., European Neurosurgical Institut, Via Ghirada 2, Treviso, 31100, Italy

    Alberto Alexandre

  2. University of Planalto Central and South, School of Medicine, SCN Qd 05 Bl. A Sala 912, Brazil, Brazil

    Marcos Masini

  3. Florence and Rome University, Via Jacopo Nardi 15, Florence, 50132, Italy

    Pier Paolo Maria Menchetti

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Porzionato, A., Macchi, V., Parenti, A., De Caro, R. (2011). Surgical Anatomy of the Sacral Hiatus for Caudal Access to the Spinal Canal. In: Alexandre, A., Masini, M., Menchetti, P. (eds) Advances in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Therapy for Spine and Nerves. Acta Neurochirurgica Supplementum, vol 108. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-99370-5_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-99370-5_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-99369-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-211-99370-5

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