24.4 Anat: bones and joints of the neck Flashcards
What are the deep cervical fascia of the neck?
Prevertebral layer
Pretracheal layer
Carotid sheath
Investing layer
What muscles help maintain cervical lordosis?
Postvertebral muscles (as the centre of gravity is forward)
What is special about C7?
It has the longest spinous process (vertebra prominens)
What angle are the articular surfaces in the neck oriented in?
45 degrees
What vertebra have uncinate processes? What do they do?
C3-C6
Guide movement
What does the atlas not have?
What is special about its transverse processes?
No body or spinous process
Longest transverse process
What does the axis have?
Dens
Strong spinous process
What kind of spinous processes exist on cervical vertebrae?
Bifid spinous processes
What is a cervical rib at C7 called?
Cranial shift (elongation of anterior tubercle)
Where does the subclavian artery run (inbetween which layers)?
Between scalenus anterior and medius
What muscle helps maintain curvature of the cervical spine?
Longus colli
What attaches to the spinous process of C2?
Erector spinae
What is the landmark for the carotid tubercle and the bifurcation of the CCA?
Carotid tubercle: Ant tubercle C6
CCA: C4
Where can the vertebral artery run?
In the transverse foraminae of C6-C1
Why can we get neck pain with aging?
The spinal nerves can be impinged on when IV discs collapse and develop osteophytes
What is the relative size of the IV discs of the cervical vertebra?
Largest in the vertebral column
When can cervical prolapse occur?
Trauma, F/E +/- rotation
When are facet joints particularly susceptible to compression?
Hyperextension injury e.g. whiplash
What % ROM occurs on the atlanto-occipital joints?
15-20% F/E
What % ROM occurs on the atlanto-axial joints>
50% rotation
What is the important ligament of the cervical spine?
Ligamentum nuchae
What ligament prevents over-rotation? What prevents dens moving posteriorly?
Alar ligaments
Transverse ligament
When can a Hangman’s fracture occur?
What results?
When hitting the steering wheel not wearing a seatbelt (head hyperextends)
Fracture through bilateral pedicles
What is a Jefferson’s fracture? What results?
Dive into shallow water e.g.
Bilateral fracture of the anterior arch and pedicle
