Question:
These ventral spinal rootlets are more prone to injury during decompressive operations because they are shorter and exit in a more horizontal direction:
These ventral spinal rootlets are more prone to injury during decompressive operations because they are shorter and exit in a more horizontal direction:
Show Hint
C5 has the shortest, most horizontal ventral root, making it the classic root injured after cervical decompression.
Updated On: Jul 8, 2026
- C5
- C6
- C7
- T1
Show Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Recall the clinical problem being described.
After posterior cervical decompression surgery, such as laminectomy or laminoplasty, some patients develop new weakness in shoulder abduction and elbow flexion after surgery, a complication known as postoperative segmental palsy. This weakness points to injury of one particular nerve root.
Step 2: Recall the anatomy that explains it.
Cadaver and imaging studies show that the C5 ventral rootlet is shorter than the rootlets above and below it, and it leaves the spinal cord at a more horizontal angle instead of angling down and out like the others.
Step 3: Connect the anatomy to the injury mechanism.
When the spinal cord shifts backward after decompression, since the cord is no longer pressed on from the front, a short, horizontal root gets stretched or tethered far more than a longer, steeply angled one. This tethering effect is the accepted explanation for why C5 palsy is the most common nerve injury after cervical decompression, much more common than palsy of C6, C7, or T1.
Step 4: Address the answer choices.
C6, C7, and T1 rootlets travel a longer course and exit at a steeper, more oblique angle, so they tolerate the same amount of cord shift with far less stretch. Some older answer keys mark both C5 and C6 as acceptable, but the anatomic and clinical literature on postoperative segmental palsy consistently singles out C5 as the root with the shortest, most horizontal course and the highest palsy rate, so C5 is the best single answer.
Final Answer:
The short, more horizontal ventral rootlet that is most prone to injury during cervical decompression is C5.
\[ \boxed{\text{C5}} \]
After posterior cervical decompression surgery, such as laminectomy or laminoplasty, some patients develop new weakness in shoulder abduction and elbow flexion after surgery, a complication known as postoperative segmental palsy. This weakness points to injury of one particular nerve root.
Step 2: Recall the anatomy that explains it.
Cadaver and imaging studies show that the C5 ventral rootlet is shorter than the rootlets above and below it, and it leaves the spinal cord at a more horizontal angle instead of angling down and out like the others.
Step 3: Connect the anatomy to the injury mechanism.
When the spinal cord shifts backward after decompression, since the cord is no longer pressed on from the front, a short, horizontal root gets stretched or tethered far more than a longer, steeply angled one. This tethering effect is the accepted explanation for why C5 palsy is the most common nerve injury after cervical decompression, much more common than palsy of C6, C7, or T1.
Step 4: Address the answer choices.
C6, C7, and T1 rootlets travel a longer course and exit at a steeper, more oblique angle, so they tolerate the same amount of cord shift with far less stretch. Some older answer keys mark both C5 and C6 as acceptable, but the anatomic and clinical literature on postoperative segmental palsy consistently singles out C5 as the root with the shortest, most horizontal course and the highest palsy rate, so C5 is the best single answer.
Final Answer:
The short, more horizontal ventral rootlet that is most prone to injury during cervical decompression is C5.
\[ \boxed{\text{C5}} \]
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Top NEET PG Orthopedics Questions
- A child was brought with bony deformities, as shown in the radiograph below. It could be due to the deficiency of which of the following?
- In which of the following nerve injuries is the instrument shown below used?
- A patient presented with chronic knee pain but has no history of trauma. Identify the condition shown in the radiograph below and the appropriate management.
- A patient at the orthopedics OPD complains of troubled sleep at night due to numbness andtingling sensation involving his lateral 3 digits. His symptoms are relieved as he lays his armshanging from the bed. Which of the following options correctly describes his condition and thetest used to assess it?
- A child is brought to the orthopedics OPD with a deformity in the lower limb and hyperpigmented skin lesions. The x-ray of her thigh is shown below. What is the most likely diagnosis?
View More Questions
Top NEET PG Questions
- A patient hailing from Delhi presents with fever, arthralgia, and extensive petechial rash for 3 days. Lab investigations revealed a hemoglobin of 9 g/ dL, a white blood cell count of 9000 cells/mm3, a platelet count of 20000 cells/mm3, and a prolonged bleeding time. The clotting time was normal. What is the most likely diagnosis?
- Which of the following statements is true about Trichomonas vaginalis?
- A lady from West Rajasthan presented with an ulcer surrounded by erythema on the right leg. Microscopy of the biopsy from the edge of the ulcer showed organisms with dark staining nuclei and kinetoplast. What is the most likely causative agent?
- A child presents with a fever and a rash. Urine examination showed cells with owl's eye appearance. What is the most likely diagnosis?
- Infection with Clonorchis sinensis is associated with an increased risk of__?
View More Questions