Anatomical variations in foramen transversarium

Dr.Anjali Sabnis

Volume : V, Issue : XII, December - 2015

Anatomical variations in foramen transversarium

Dr. Anjali Sabnis

Abstract :

Foramen transversarium (FT) is the foramen present in the transverse process of cervical vertea. Verteal artery, verteal vein and sympathetic nerve pass through the FT of C1–C6 verteae. Variations in the FT in the form of shape, number, complete or incomplete, unilateral or bilateral and accessory foramen are widely documented. Incomplete unilateral FT in atlas and accessory unilateral, accessory bilateral, incomplete unilateral FT in other cervical verteae were noticed in cervical verteae. The verteal artery which passes from FT of atlas enters in the cranial cavity to form circle of Willis. Any variation in FT can create impact on verteal artery to give rise to vascular insufficiency. So such variations are clinically significant radiology, neurosurgery and spine surgery point of view.