Intraspinal Variations of Nerve Roots

The main purpose of this book is to provide the reader with a better understanding of spinal nerve root injuries caused by various pathologies (e.g. disc herniation, space-occupying lesions, trauma etc.).

The standard anatomical description of spinal nerve roots origin, course and arrangement (described in the first chapters of the book) is now strongly influenced by the frequent findings of their intraspinal extradural and intradural connecting branches and by other variations, which are considered to be the major cause of the surgical therapy failures. Intraspinal extradural and intradural neuroanatomical roots variations may affect in fact the clinical picture, diagnosis, and surgical treatment their recognition can minimize the damage to neural structures in the spinal anaesthesia, in spinal operations, in spondylosurgery, in endoscopic surgery, laser discectomy, etc. Their aetiology is unknown and it has to be elucidated, and they are rarely found during the usual preoperational examinations, a reason that encouraged various anatomical dissection studies finalized to their description.

The data shown in this book will be surely helpful for traumatologists, orthopaedists, spinal surgeons, neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons and for all those dealing with intraspinal variations of nerve roots.

Prof. Viktor Matejcík graduated in 1975 at the Medical Faculty of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. In 1982 he took the 1st Degree Qualification in Surgery, followed by a Degree in Neurosurgery and a Professor degree at Comenius University. He worked as assistant lecturer and as professor at the Department of Neurosurgery at the Faculty of Medicine at the Comenius University and University Hospital, while nowadays he is Deputy of the Head of this Department. His main interest areas are: neurosurgery, craniocerebral injuries, and peripheral nerves. Prof. Matejcík is author and co-author of nearly 200 publications with more than 200 citations.

Zora Haviarová graduated at the Medical Faculty of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. In 1995 she took a Degree Qualification in Internal Medicine. She is assistant lecturer at the Institute of Anatomy at the Medical Faculty of the Comenius University and works, since 2013, at the dispensary of the Institute of Tropical Diseases (Bratislava, Slovakia). Her main areas of interest are: research on the structure of the varicose vein wall, clinical anatomy (cardiovascular system, peripheral nerves), and infectology. Dr. Haviarová is author and co-author of more than 100 publications with more than 90 citations.

Kuruc Roman graduated at the Medical Faculty of Comenius University, Bratislava (General Medicine branch), then he got a Degree Qualification in Pathological anatomy and one in Forensic Medicine. With a special interest on forensic medicine, cranio-cerebral injuries and traffic injuries, he is author and co-author of more than 120 publications.

Andrej Steno graduated at the Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, faculty of medicine. He now works at the Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University and University Hospital. His special Interests are Intraoperative imaging, awake surgery, Glioma surgery, Surgery of the sellar region, Cerebrovascular surgery.

Juraj Steno attended the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. Doctor honoris causa, from 2015 he is Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University. Author and co-author of more than 400 publications, he took more than 600 lectures all over the world.