Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Sep 13;8(9):e779.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.779.

The Epidural Ligaments (of Hofmann): A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Gabrielle G Tardieu  1 , Christian Fisahn  2 , Marios Loukas  1 , Marc Moisi  3 , Jens Chapman  4 , Rod J Oskouian  5 , R Shane Tubbs  6
Affiliations
Review

The Epidural Ligaments (of Hofmann): A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Gabrielle G Tardieu et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

The epidural space contains the internal vertebral venous plexus, adipose, and other connective tissues. In the anatomical literature, there are nonspecific descriptions of varying fibrous connective tissue bands in the epidural space, mainly mentioned in the lumbar region, that tether the dural sac to the posterior longitudinal ligament, the vertebral canal, and the ligamentum flavum. These ligaments have been termed as Hofmann's ligaments. This review expands on the anatomy and function of Hofmann's ligaments, increasing the awareness of their presence and serves as an impetus for further study of their histology, innervation, and function.

Keywords: anatomy; dura mater; epidural ligaments; extradural; spine.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Schematic drawing illustrating Hofmann’s ligaments (arrow) in the epidural space.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Fresh cadaveric dissections noting Hofmann’s ligaments (arrows) here attaching anteriorly to the PLL.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Fresh cadaveric specimen demonstrating varying sizes of Hofmann’s ligaments (arrows).
Figure 4
Figure 4. Fixed cadaveric specimen (dorsal view) noting a small lateral Hofmann’s ligament (arrow).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Anatomy of the extradural compartments of the lumbar spinal canal. Peridural membrane and circumneural sheath. Wiltse LL. Radiol Clin North Am. 2000;38:1177–1206. - PubMed
    1. On the questions of a subdural space. Haines DE. Anat Rec. 1991;230:3–21. - PubMed
    1. The spinal epidural space. Newell RL. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Newell+RL.+The+spinal+epidural+.... Clin Anat. 1999;12:375–379. - PubMed
    1. Kappers CUA, Huber GC, Crosby EC. The. New York: Co 56-67; 1936. The comparative anatomy of the nervous system of vertebrates.
    1. Topography of the lumbar epidural space. a study in cadavers using injected polyester resin. Husemeyer RP, White DC. Anaesthesia. 1980;35:7–11. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources