The lumbar intertransverse ligaments are thin membranous structures connecting adjacent transverse processes, providing coronal plane stability between motion segments. They are less mechanically significant than the capsular ligaments or ligamentum flavum but contribute to the intersegmental stability model. Their anatomy is relevant in posterior lumbar surgical approaches where they are encountered during lateral dissection.
| Origin | Transverse process of each lumbar vertebra (inferior border) |
|---|---|
| Insertion | Transverse process of the adjacent lower vertebra (superior border) |
| Actions | Resist lateral flexion and provide intersegmental stability in the coronal plane |
|---|
The intertransverse ligaments are cut during lateral access to the lumbar transverse processes in posterolateral fusion approaches. Their disruption as part of the posterior destabilisation contributes to the surgical instability created by laminectomy, which is why decompression alone often leads to progressive instability requiring fusion.
Intertransverse ligament disruption contributing to intersegmental coronal instability in degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis.
