Rodolfo Morales-Avalos; Francisco Ismael Villarreal-Garcia; Priscila Madelein Requena-Araujo; Santos Guzmán-López; Gabriela Sanchez-Mejorada; Claudia Nallely Esparza-Hernandez; Félix Vílchez-Cavazos; Carlos Acosta-Olivo; Víctor Manuel Peña-Martínez & Rodrigo E. Elizondo-Omaña

To evaluate in an integral way the morphometric parameters of the atlas (C1) vertebra in the Mexican population of relevance in performing surgical procedures of the craniocervical junction in order to provide quantitative and essential data for its realization. For this study, a total of 576 dry C1 vertebrae of contemporary Mexican population were used. Eleven measurements were carried out regarding the morphology of C1. The measurements were made bilaterally using a millimeter digital vernier with an accuracy of 0.01 millimeters and a statistical analysis was applied. A total of 576 atlas vertebrae (C1) were measured bilaterally, all our measurements were reported in millimeters. The average width of the lateral masses was 14.87 mm ± 1.38 mm. The average height of the lateral masses was 4.05 mm ± 0.93 mm. The average width of the transverse foramen was 5.93 mm ± 0.98 mm. The average length of the transverse foramen was 6.96 mm ± 0.98 mm. The average height of the transverse foramen was 5.76 mm ± 1.31 mm. The average width of the groove of the vertebral artery was 18.87 mm ± 1.3 mm. The average distance between the midline and the medial edge of the vertebral artery groove on the anterior surface of the posterior arch of C1 on its superior surface was 12.47 mm ± 3.14 mm. The average distance between the midline and the medial border of the vertebral artery groove on the posterior surface of the posterior arch of C1 on its upper face was 18.75 mm ± 3.94 mm. The average distance between the midline and the lateral margin of the vertebral artery groove on the anterior surface of the posterior arch of C1 on its superior surface was 19.7 mm ± 2.52 mm. The average distance between the midline and the lateral border of the vertebral artery groove on the posterior surface of the posterior arch of C1 on its superior surface was 29.52 mm ± 3.23. Our study shows that the measurements made in our population present differences with respect to what is currently reported in the literature. It is necessary to have knowledge of vertebral morphology in our population to reduce the error window when performing surgical procedures involving this segment.

KEY WORDS: Atlas; Morphometry; Anatomy; Pedicle; Lateral masses.

MORALES-AVALOS, R.; VILLARREAL-GARCIA, F. I.; REQUENA-ARAUJO, P. M.; GUZMÁN-LÓPEZ, S.; SANCHEZ-MEJORADA, G.; ESPARZA-HERNANDEZ, C. N.; VÍLCHEZ-CAVAZOS, F.; ACOSTA-OLIVO, C.; PEÑA- MARTÍNEZ, V. M. & ELIZONDO-OMAÑA, R. E. Morphometric anatomy of clinical importance of the atlas in relation to the stabilization of the atlantoaxial and occipitocervical complex. Int. J. Morphol., 37(1):98-103, 2019.