Chonnam Med J.  2008 Apr;44(1):10-12. 10.4068/cmj.2008.44.1.10.

The Number of the Spinal Rootlets of the Accessory Nerve and Their Most Caudal Level on Spinal Cord

• Oh CS
• Chung IH

• KMID: 1973384
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4068/cmj.2008.44.1.10

Abstract

This study was performed to clarify the number of the spinal rootlets of the accessory nerve at each cervical segment, and the most caudal level of their arising on the spinal cord. Forty-two sides of the spinal cords were studied under a surgical microscope. The average number of the spinal rootlets of the accessory nerve was 4.4, 3.1, 2.4, 0.8, and 0.4 at the C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5 cervical segment, respectively. The most caudal level of the rootlets on the spinal cord was C3 in 32%, C4 in 30%, C5 in 22%, C6 in 9%, C2 in 5%, and C7 in 2%.

Keyword

Accessory nerve; Spinal cord

MeSH Terms

Accessory Nerve
Spinal Cord

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Average number of the spinal rootlets of the accessory nerve at each cervical segment.

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  Fig. 2 The frequency of the most caudal level of the spinal rootlets of the accessory nerve depending on the cervical segment.

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  Fig. 3 The most caudal spinal rootlet of the accessory nerve (XI)is at C4. Arrows and asterisk note the spinal rootlets of the accessory nerve at C1 and the denticulate ligament, respectively.

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