Anatomical assessment of the relationship between the aortic bifurcation and the vertebral body in individuals with normal vertebral column structure using computed tomography angiography.
BACKGROUND Anterior approaches to the lumbar spine, particularly anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) at L4-L5 and L5-S1, are increasingly common. Vascular injury involving the aortic bifurcation (AB) is a serious, potentially fatal complication, so precise knowledge of the AB's relationship to adjacent vertebrae is...