Survey of Sonoanatomic Distances For Lumbar Medial Branch Nerve Blocks in Healthy Volunteers

BACKGROUND The precise knowledge of anatomy and the region of transverse process (TP) and superior articular processes (AP) and their distance from the skin are important in blocking and treating lumbar facet syndrome. Evaluation of these anatomic distances from 3rd and 5th lumbar vertebrae in both sides and in different body mass index (BMI) in healthy volunteers might improve knowledge of ultrasound (US) lumbar medial branch nerve blocks (LMBB). METHODS Bilateral US in the 3rd and 5th lumbar vertebrae of 64 volunteers carried out and the distance between skin to TP and skin to AP was measured. These distances were compared on both sides and in different BMI groups. The analysis was done using SPSS 11. Analysis of variance was used to compare the means at three vertebral levels (L3-L5) and different BMI groups. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The paired t-test was used to compare the mean distance between skin to TP and skin to AP on both sides. RESULTS The distance between skin to TP and skin to AP of 3rd vertebrae to 5th vertebrae was increased in both right and left sides (P < 0.001) from up to down. The mean distance from skin to TP were greater on the left side compared to the right in all three vertebral levels from L3 to L5 (P values 0.014, 0.024, and 0.006 respectively). The mean distance from skin to TP and the skin to AP was statistically significant in different BMI groups (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS We found many anatomic distances which may increase awareness of US guided LMBB.