Comorbidity of latent forms of total sacral disraphism and transitional lumbosacral vertebrae in patients living in Western Siberia, Russian Federation

Background. There is very little published information in the international medical literature on the combination of congenital spinal pathologies such as latent forms of total sacral dysraphism and transitional lumbosacral vertebrae in patients. We were unable to find any publications on this topic in the Russian scientific literature for the period 2000—2025. Objective. To assess the prevalence of latent forms of total sacral dysraphism in a cohort of patients with transitional lumbosacral vertebrae. Material and methods. The clinical material for the study was an analysis of the results of CT of the lumbar spine and pelvis in 205 patients aged 12—86 years. During the CT study, all 205 people were diagnosed with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae. The type and subtype of transitional vertebrae were determined in accordance with the provisions of the classification A.E. Castellvi et al. The degree of dysplasia of the posterior wall of the sacrum in the examined patients was determined based on the classification criteria of J.D. Eubanks et al. Results. Among 205 patients with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae, cleft of the sacral canal along its entire length was diagnosed in 12 (5.85%) clinical observations. More often than others, dysplasia of the posterior wall of the sacrum was present in patients with type II, subtype “b” of the transitional vertebrae — in 15.78% of cases. In the second ranking place in the structure of patients with total cleft of the sacral canal were those who were diagnosed with type I, subtype “b” of the disease — 6.89% of clinical observations. The third ranking place was occupied by patients with a defect of the posterior wall of the sacrum, formed against the background of type III subtype “b” of the lumbosacral transitional vertebrae — 5.0% of cases. The epidemiological data we obtained on the frequency of occurrence of latent forms of total sacral dysmorphism in patients with transitional vertebrae are almost completely consistent with information published in the literature about a similar indicator obtained during anthropological excavations. Conclusion. The results of the study made it possible to establish the frequency of comorbidity of total cleft wall of the sacrum with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae in patients — 5.85% of clinical observations.