The Anatomical Relationship of the Aortic Bifurcation and the Iliocaval Junction to the Lumbar Vertebrae in a Korean Population

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine the anatomic significance and the level of the abdominal aortic bifurcation and the iliocaval junction in relation to the lumbar spine. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective study of 79 patients who underwent prosthetic replacement of an intervertebral disc by the anterior approach. The location of the aortic bifurcation and iliocaval junction and the size of the aorta and IVC were evaluated using CT angiography. The levels of the aortic bifurcation and iliocaval junction were recorded in relation to the upper or lower half of the adjacent vertebral body or intervertebral disc. RESULT: The aorta was bifurcated at the lower half of the L4 vertebral body in 35.4% of the cases. The iliocaval junction was between L4 and L5, and it was most often at the upper half of L5 (43.0%). CONCLUSION: The variability of the aortic bifurcation and iliocaval junction is high and an accurate description may be useful for using the various retroperitoneal approaches for not only aortic and venacaval surgery, but also for the anterior approach for spinal surgery.