Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebra (LSTV) in patients admitted to the hospital with various complaints in Erzincan and its surroundings and to determine the age-gender relationship.

Methods: Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of 1164 patients were retrospectively examined. Patients with disc degeneration, over the age of 65, patients with scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, pelvic and spinal region trauma, and patients who had previously undergone lumbar region surgery were excluded from the study. Our study is a retrospective cohort study.

Results: The prevalence of LSTV was 274 patients (23.53%), lumbalization was 264 patients (22.68%), and sacralization was 10 patients (0.85%). Their correlation with age and gender variables was investigated. When age was examined by gender, the average age of the women was calculated as 42.2±13.1 (13-64) years and the average age of men was calculated as 41.8±13.0 (12-64) years. Age was statistically similar across the gender groups (p=0.386).

Conclusion: Lumbosacral transitional vertebra is a frequently encountered anatomical variation, it is important to know this in advance and evaluate it, as it will reduce the risk of complications in the nerves and tissues originating from this area in both surgical and invasive interventions to the area.