Morphometric study of sacral hiatus in adult human Egyptian sacra

Abstract EN

Background : Sacral hiatus is an important landmark in orthopedic practice for management of low back pain as well as during caudal epidural block.

Aim of the study : was to clarify the morphometric characteristics of the sacral hiatus in human Egyptian dry sacra and pelvic radiographs.

Materials and Methods : This study was performed on forty six human adult Egyptian dry sacra and sixty AP lumbosacral spine radiographs of adult patients.

Sacral hiatus was evaluated in each sacrum according to its shape, level of its apex and base according to sacral and coccygeal vertebrae, Length, apex diameter and base transverse width.

Linear distances were measured.

Results : The commonest types of SH were the inverted U and V (in male) and inverted V and Dumbbell shaped (in female).

Absent sacral hiatus was observed in male group only.

The commonest location of sacral hiatus apex was at the level of S4 in dry sacra and S3 in radiographs, whereas, S5 for its base.

The linear distances between the sacral hiatus apex and the right and left superolateral sacral crests formed equilateral triangle with the line distance between the two superolateral sacral crests.

Conclusion : Sacral hiatus showed morphometric variations in adult Egyptians.

Narrow and absent sacral hiatus should be taken into consideration during Insertion of a needle into the sacral hiatus.