@article{article_393601, title={Accessory Nerve Root and Associated Dural Injury Incidences Encountered During Lumbar Microdiscectomy}, journal={Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences}, pages={45–50}, year={2014}, author={Yücetaş, Şeyho Cem and Yıldırım, Can Hakan and Balioğlu, Mehmet Bülent and Ehi, Yusuf and Soran, Ahmet Faruk and Akbaşak, Aytaç}, keywords={Accessory nerve root, dural tear, lumbar disc herniation, microdiscectomy.}, abstract={We aimed to find the incidence of accessory nerve roots and their respective sites encountered intraoperatively during lumbar microdiscectomy operations, and to draw attention to the findings associated with the presence of accessory nerve roots.METHODS: This study was conducted by retrospective analysis of the records of patients (N=820) who were operated by the method of microdiscectomy in three medical centers between April 2010 and August 2013. Cases that indicated surgery upon neurological and radiological examinations were included in the study. In the study, accessory nerve root abnormalities and the related dural tears or nerve root injuries were assessed. The variables of sex, presence of accessory roots and dural injury were used as independent variables to analyze the other variables.RESULTS: Accessory nerve root anomaly was detected in 22 (3%) of 820 operated patients. L4-5 was the most frequent level for hernia formation and followed by L5-S1 level. The hernia side, as right or left, did not signifi cantly differ at any level (p>0.05). L5-S1 space was the most frequent site for accessory nerve roots and followed by L4-5 space. However, the frequency of right or left side location of the accessory nerve roots were not different at any lumbar disc level (p>0.05). The presence of an accessory nerve root increased the chance of dural tear injury. Female gender, independent from the presence of an accessory nerve root, was a risk factor for dural tear injury.CONCLUSION: The accessory nerve root is most frequently observed at the L5-S1 disc level and its presence increases the chance of dural injury. In addition, female gender is an independent risk factor for dural injury.}, number={2}, publisher={Kafkas University}