 Hello, my name is Albert van Squier from the University of Pretoria in South Africa and I would like to present to you a summary of our article entitled A Descriptive Study of the Differences in the Level of the Cornus Middleris in Four Different Age Groups This study was done in collaboration with Professor Marius Bosman also from the University of Pretoria and Professor Adrian Bozenberg from the University of Washington and the Seattle Children's Hospital In performing Neuraxial procedures, it is important to know the location of the end of the spinal cord or the Cornus Middleris in patients of all ages. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the precise, virtual level where the spinal cord terminates in newborns and infants, children, adolescents and young adults. Because of the limited availability, two separate samples divided into four separate developmental stages were used. The first sample included 44 new natal cadavers and represented the newborn infant stage. These cadavers were all dissected only after receiving the appropriate institutional ethical approval and also under the guidelines of the South African National Health Act No. 61 of 2003. Both the laminar of the sacrum and the lumbar vertebrae were cut in order to expose the dural sac within the vertebral canal. The dural sac was then transected in order to expose the spinal cord and coda equina within. High quality photographs of each dissection was then taken for further analysis. The second sample included much sagittal magnetic resonance images of the lumbar vertebrae and spinal cord and was divided into 19 children between the ages of 1 and 12, 26 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 20 and 55 young adults aged 21 to 29 years old. Using imaging software, each vertebrae on both the photographs of the cadavers and on the MRIs was divided into thirds and each third as well as each intervertebral space was given a corresponding number. For example, the upper third of T12 was numbered 1, the middle third was 2, the lower third 3 and the T12L1 intervertebral space was numbered 4. A straight line was then drawn horizontally at the most chordal point of the conus medilaris. The vertebral level indicated by a corresponding number was then noted and subsequent statistical analysis of the results were done. A complete description of this can be found within the full article. Statistical analysis of the median levels revealed no statistically significant differences between stages 2, 3 and 4 or the samples older than 1 year old. There was however a significant difference when comparing the median level of the conus medilaris in the newborn infant stage with that of the childhood adolescents and early adulthood stages. The results are summarized in the following table. The corresponding number for each level is displayed in parentheses. For the newborn and infant group, the median level of the conus medilaris was the middle third of L2 with the most chordal level being the middle third of L3. For both the childhood and adolescent groups, the median level was the lower third of L1 while the most chordal level of the conus medilaris was found at the L2, L3 intervertebral space. Finally, for the young adults, the median level was also found at the lower third of L1 but the most chordal level was at the middle third of L2. This study confirmed the different level of spinal cord termination between newborns and infants less than 1 year old and subjects older than 1 year. In this sample, the conus medilaris was not found lower than the L3 vertebral body which is higher than the prescribed level of needle insertion recommended for lumbar-neuraxial procedures. It is still recommended that, if at all possible, the exact level of spinal cord termination should be determined prior to attempting lumbar-neuraxial procedures, especially in newborns or infants. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the full article.