The pedicle is a stub of bone that connects the lamina to the vertebral body to form the vertebral arch. Two short, stout processes extend from the sides of the vertebral body and joins with broad flat plates of bone (laminae) to form a hollow archway that protects the spinal cord. The pedicles also form the base of the articular processes which are the points of articulation for the ribs. Pedicle screws have been used as adjuncts to spinal fusion surgery as a means of anchoring a spinal segment.
