Basivertebral nerve

The basivertebral nerve supplies the vertebral endplates and can be a target for treating back pain. 

Gross anatomy

The basivertebral nerve is a paired nerve arising from the sinuvertebral nerve. It ascends from its origin to enter the spinal canal, traversing centrally ¹. It courses with the basivertebral vessels into the central vascular foramen. Within the foramen, it travels approximately 1/3 the diameter of the vertebral body before forming a trunk cluster and branching cranially and caudally. It provides sensation to the vertebral end plates, which form the superior and inferior edges of the vertebral body ^2-4.

Clinical importance

Vertebral endplates are highly susceptible to injury and are the source of most chronic lower back pain ². The basivertebral nerve provides an important role in nociceptive pain transmission for these endplates and is, therefore, a target for therapeutic ablation. The procedure is a minimally invasive spinal procedure that targets the nerve as it enters the central vascular foramen ^1,3.