09/16 Flashcards
How many cervical vertebra are there?
7
What is the atlas named after?
a mythical god who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders
Why doesn’t C1 have a big vertebral body?
It doesn’t have to carry a lot of weight
What is the facet for dens used for on C1?
It is to connect the Dens of C2 to C1
What is the tubercle called that projects from the front and back of C1’s arches?
anterior and posterior tubercle
What is the portion of C1 that connects with the skull?
Superior articular processes’ facets
What is the large opening called at the base of the skull?
Foramen Magnum
What are the names of the downward projections are on either side of the foramen magnum?
Occipital condyle
Where is the occipital bone located?
on the base of the skull
What do the occipital condyles connect to?
C1
What are the atlantooccipital ligaments?
There are 2: anterior and posterior ligaments that connect the top of the spine(Atlas) through an opening in skull called the foramen magnum to the base of the skull (occipital bone)
What sets up a pivot point in a nodding fashion between the skull and atlas?
The curve of the superior articular process with cartilage between
What is the special structure on the Axis that is not found anywhere else?
The dens: a big bony structure on the posterior side of C2
What does the anterior articular facet rub up against?
The posterior side of the anterior arch of C1
What is on the posterior side of the dens?
Ligaments that wrap themselves around it at the top of the neck to make sure that it’s a solid connection.
Does C2 have a body?
Yes
What kind of flexibility is possible between the atlas and axis?
swivel motion side to side
What are the ligaments that run from the sacrum or pelvis to the base of the skull?
anterior longitudinal ligament
posterior longitudinal ligament
What ligaments links the tips of the transverse processes together?
intertransverse ligament (small ligament)
What ligaments sit on the tips of the spinous processes on the back of the spine?
Supraspinous ligament
What ligament is immediately deep to the Supraspinous ligament and what does it do?
Interspinous ligaments. They connect the vast bulk of the spinous processes to each other. They cover more area than the Supraspinous ligament.
The ligamentum flava connects what?
The rest of the anterior arch together from each vertebral level
Why is the Ligamentum flava a little more stretchy than the other ligaments?
The others are made of fairly rigid collagen
What are you looking for to tell if you are in the ligamentum flava?
Change in resistance
the Ligamentum flava is what color on the spinal ligament slide?
yellow
midline on the ligamentum flava is an opening, how can you avoid this when using a needle?
Approach at a slightly off midline angle
What is the expansion of the interspinous ligament called in the back of the neck?
The nuchal ligament
Where is the supraspinous ligament located in relation to the nuchal ligament?
It sits on the edge of the nuchal ligament on the outside
What is another name for the anterior atlanto-occipital ligament and posterior occipital ligament
anterior atlanto-occipital membrane and posterior occipital membrane
What is the palpable bump called on the base of the skull?
External occipital protuberance
It is where the Nuchal ligament and supraspinous ligament connects with the back of the skull
Why shouldn’t you hit people in the back of the head?
Because ligaments are good but not infallible, and you can break some of the weak points by hitting the back of the head/neck or jumping into a pool with only 1ft of water in it
What is the little palpable bump called on the back of the neck and what it is?
Vertebral prominence
Textbooks say it is C7 but it is most likely T1
Why would be T spine be hard to access at midline?
Because the vertebra point down instead of straight out, you would hit the bone
Why is the T spine more stable and strong?
It has a lot of things attached to it like the rib cage. It is very robust.
What is the most common types of back injuries?
neck and lower back injuries
What do ribs connect to on the t spine?
costal facets
Where are costal facets potentially found?
on the body and on the transverse processes
Rib one connects to which vertebra?
T1
What are the true ribs?
1-7
What are the false ribs?
8-10
What are the floating ribs?
11-12
What are the 3 parts of the sternum?
Manubrium sterni
body
xiphoid process
What connects the ribs to the sternum?
costal cartilage
What makes a false rib false?
They don’t directly attach to the sternum by a single strand of cartilage, there is a connecting piece of cartilage that attach to costal cartilage 7
Why do we need cartilage between the sternum and ribs?
It helps give us some flexibility and protects us against crush injuries
What features are unique to the thoracic vertebra?
Downward facing spinous process
costal facets
Which part of the rib attaches to the costal facet on the transverse process?
The costal tubercle
Which part of the rib attaches to the costal facet on the costal facet on the body?
The head
What is between the head and costal tubercle on the rib?
the neck
What is the shape of the body on the T spine?
Heart shaped
The left side of the t-spine vertebral body is more flat than the right side, why is that?
because of the aorta sits right there beside it and flattens it out
What are the easiest ribs to “jar loose from their connecting places”
the floating ribs, because they’re only attached at one place
Why are the L spine bodies big?
They carry a lot of weight
Why is it not a big deal to access the L spine, and what is a tip to make it even easier to access?
Because the spinous processes come straight out leaving an opening for the needle.
to make it even easier you can have the patient lean over