Surgical anatomy of the nuchal muscles in the posterior cervicothoracic junction; The relationship between the length of the C6 spinous process and anatomy of the nuchal muscles

INTRODUCTION In previous studies, it was reported that the incidence of postoperative axial pain was lower in C3-C6 laminoplasty than in C3-C7 laminoplasty, emphasizing the effectiveness of the former procedure where discission of the nuchal muscles that are attached to the C7 spinous process is avoided 1), . However, there have been no detailed anatomic studies of the attachment of the nuchal muscles to the spinous process at the cervicothoracic junction. Further, it is known in the morphology of the cervical spinal spinous process that there is individual difference in the length of the C6 spinous process. The current study was conducted on cadavers to investigate the anatomical details of the attachment of the nuchal muscles to the spinous process, and the relationship between the length of the C6 spinous process and anatomy of the nuchal muscles.