paravertebral

Paravertebral is an anatomical term used to describe structures located beside or near the vertebral column. It is applied to regions, tissues, and spaces adjacent to the spine and can refer to areas on either side of the spine from the cervical to the sacral levels. The term is used across anatomy, imaging, and clinical contexts to denote proximity to the vertebral column rather than a fixed single structure.

Paravertebral muscles are the group of deep back muscles situated immediately lateral to the vertebral column. They contribute to posture and spinal movement, including extension and lateral flexion, and provide stabilization during motion. The paravertebral musculature includes components of the erector spinae as well as deeper muscle groups such as the transversospinales and segmental muscles like interspinales and intertransversarii.

Paravertebral space refers to a longitudinal, wedge-shaped region on each side of the vertebral column. It contains elements essential to spinal nerve function, including the exiting spinal nerves, dorsal and ventral rami, the sympathetic chain, and accompanying connective tissue and vessels. Clinically, the paravertebral space is targeted in regional anesthesia via thoracic or abdominal paravertebral blocks, producing unilateral somatic and sympathetic blockade. Knowledge of its boundaries and contents is important to minimize complications, such as pneumothorax or inadvertent vascular injection, during procedures or radiologic interpretation.

In imaging and pathology, “paravertebral” is used to describe findings adjacent to the spine, aiding localization of lesions along the lateral aspect of the vertebral column.