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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 7, Issue 1, May 2013 pp 10-13

Research Article

A Study of Total Spina Bifida of the Sacrum in Western India

Dharati M. Kubavat¹, Shaileshkumar K. Nagar², Padma Varlekar³, Kanan Uttekar⁴,

Sneha V. Kumar⁵, Chintan Lakhani⁶

{ ¹Associate Professor,⁶Resident doctor} Department of Anatomy, M. P. Shah Medical College, Jamnagar, Gujarat, INDIA.

²Professor, Department of Anatomy, GMERS Medical College, Gotri, Vadodara, Gujarat, INDIA.

³Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, GMERS Medical College, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, INDIA.

⁴Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, SMIMER Medical College, Surat, Gujarat, INDIA.

Academic Editor : Dr. Aher K.R.

Background: Spina bifida is the generic term for a range of discrete defects of neurulation and subsequent vertebral formation. Numerous anatomical variations of the sacrum have been reported. However, total spina bifida of the sacrum has never been reported in Gujarati population of Western India. These variations may be found in the patients of low back pain and neurological symptoms during radiological investigations or during caudal epidural anaesthesia in labour and lower abdominal surgeries or on post mortem examination or even during dissection of human body and osteology class for medical students. Objective: The study was designed to know the prevalence of total spina bifida of the sacrum in Gujarati population of Western India .Considering the variation; we conduct this study as a prelude to any type of work for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in low back pain, spinal surgery and for interventional procedures like epidural anaesthesia. Materials and Methods: 302 intact dry human sacra of unknown sex were studied from the Department of Anatomy, B.J. Medical College Ahmedabad; Government Dental college, Ahmedabad; Medical college, Vadodara and Government Medical College, Surat in Gujarat. The specimens were carefully examined and total spina bifida of the sacrum if found was recorded. Results: We found 5(1.65%) out of 302 specimens of sacrum with total spina bifida of the sacrum. Conclusion: The present study shows that the incidence of sacrum with total spina bifida of the sacrum in Gujarati population of Western India is 1.65%. This developmental defect must be considered for the sake of patient safety before undertaking caudal epidural block.If not serious complications such as dural puncture may easily occur. It is also important for the accurate diagnosis of patients with low back pain. It may be associated with spina bifida occulta or spina bifida cystica. The knowledge of this anatomical variation is of paramount importance to spinal surgeons, anaesthetists, radiologists, forensic experts, morphologists and clinical anatomists.