Arcuate Foramen: An Essential Variation of the Atlas That Should Keep in Mind

Abstract

The arcuate foramen (AF), one of the variations of the first cervical vertebra (atlas), is localized on the vertebral artery (VA) sulcus, and computed tomography is the gold standard in its diagnosis. AF has complete and incomplete types, and its incidence varies according to societies, ethnic groups, and examination methods, ranging from 1% to 68%. The third segment of the VA, the suboccipital nerve, the perivascular sympathetic plexus, and the vertebral venous plexus pass through it. It gives symptoms according to the degree of pressure on the structures passing through it, and the complete type is more likely to give clinical findings. AF is also important because of its potential to cause VA dissection during neck traumas and surgical procedures applied to the upper cervical region. In this study, the latest literature was reviewed, and the clinical importance of AF was summarized in the light of scientific evidence.

Keywords

• anatomical variation
• arcuate foramen
• atlas
• cervical spine.