The effect of removing the lateral part of the pars interarticularis on stress distribution at the neural arch in lumbar foraminal microdecompression at L3-L4 and L4-L5 - Anatomic and finite element investigations

Study Design. The assessment of L3 and L4 pars interarticularis thickness and finite element analysis of stress distribution across L3 and L4 pars interarticularis. Objective. To quantify the morphology of the region of the L3 and L4 pars interarticularis and to assess the stress increase as a function of access size using the finite element lumbar spine model. Summary of Background Data. Inadequate decompression and traction of the nerve structures are several causes of the unsatisfactory outcomes in patients after foraminal stenosis decompression and far lateral disc herniation removal by extraforaminal exposure. Enlarging the access of the foraminal exposure by the removal of the lateral aspect of the pars interarticularis may be able to diminish the inadequate decompression and traction of the nerve structures; however, it may lead to increase stress and fracture of the neural arch. Methods. We used 15 human cadaver L3 and L4 lumbar vertebrae for measuring the thickness of the pars interarticularis. The ventral and dorsal surfaces were subdivided into 4 equal parts, and the thickness of each part was measured using a digital caliper. An experimentally validated 3-dimensional nonlinear finite element model of the intact L3-S1 segment was used to simulate the lateral removal of one fourth and one half of the L3 and L4 pars interarticularis. Results. The mean thicknesses of the pars interarticularis showed a gradual increase toward the lateral edge. Finite element model analyses predicted stresses increased to 35% and 40% after removal of one half of the lateral part of the L3 and L4 pars interarticularis, respectively, and were much closer to the intact spine after removal of one fourth of the lateral part of the pars interarticularis. Conclusion. The removal of one fourth of the lateral aspect of the pars interarticularis has minimal influence on the stresses in the remaining L3 and L4 neural arches. The lateral half of the pars has the largest thickness, and its removal leads to considerable stress increases.