NEW DATA ON HUMAN VERTEBRAL COLUMN STRUCTURE ANATOMY IN THE INTERMEDIATE FETAL PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT

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Aim. To determine the presence of the spinal congenital anomalies and the degree of violation doctors need detailed information on the spinal structures morphology. The purpose of this study was to obtain morphometric data on the structure of the vertebral column on the prenatal stage. Material and Methods. The study was carried out on 30 fetuses of 16-22 weeks of development using the method of maсromiсrosсopic preparation, method of cuts according to N. I. Pirogov and histotological method. Results and Discussion. The study of sectional material has established that the vertebral column has already been formed in the 16-22 weeks of development. The lumbar lordosis was detectedin all cases, the cervical lordosis and thoracic kyphosis were present in half of cases. Vertebral foramen were relatively wide and had an oval shape. There was a gradual narrowing of the vertebral foramenfrom L5 to Sc5, which has became a narrow slit at the level of coccygeal vertebrae. It was noteworthy that the vertebral arcs were not yet fused with the body. The average value of the transverse dimension of the vertebral body wasincreased from C1 (2.3±0.65 mm) to L3 (7.71±1.1 mm), then stabilized through L4- L5 and decreased to Sc5 (1.84±0.43 mm).The sagittal size of the vertebral body wasincreased from C1 (1.9±0.52 mm) to T5 (5.95±0.87 mm), then the stabilization to L3 (5.31±0.91 mm) was observed. The lowest values were established in the sacral part (from Sc1 - 3.46±0.76 mm to Sc5 - 1.95±0.37). Conclusions. Results of research can be used in fetal diagnosis and therapy of deeply prematurely born newborns.