Anatomy of systems Flashcards
Name the regions of the vertebral column
Cervical - C1-C7
Thoracic - T1-T12
Lumbar - L1-L5
Sacral - S1-S5 (fused)
Functions of the vertebral column
Axial support
Protection of spinal cord
Flexibility
What are the primary and secondary curves of the spinal cord in development?
Primary = thoracic Secondary = cervical and lumbar
How does the internal structure of vertebral bodies support load?
- outer shell of cortical bone
- transverse and longitudinal trabeculae
- Gaps are filled with blood
What is the laminae of vertebrae?
flat sheets of bone which form the vertebral arch
- protects the contents
- transmits force to the body
- withstands bending forces
Features of articular processes of vertebrae?
Superior and inferior processes
form joint site with neighbouring vertebrae
Features of pedicles?
Thickened bone in vertebral arch
Resist bending in all directions
What are the features of cervical vertebrae?
Key features:
- Small size
- foramen in transverse process
Other features:
- large foramen allows enlargement of spinal cord
- 2 spinous processes
What is the atlas and axis?
C1 and C2 vertebrae.
- allows for movement of head
- transverse ligament prevents slipping
What are the features of thoracic vertebrae?
Articulation sites with ribs
Most spines face downwards
What are the features of lumbar vertebrae?
large size
no rib articulations
triangular foramen
What are the features of the sacrum?
vertebrae fuse to form single bone
L-shaped facets articulate with pelvic bones
What are the features of the coccyx?
small triangular bone
no vertebral canal
articulates with sacrum
What are the 3 components of the vertebral discs
- Nucleus Pulposus
- fluid, allows deformation
- Annulus fibrosis
- lattice of collagen for strength and
deformation resistance
- lattice of collagen for strength and
- Vertebral end plate
- hyaline cartilage for permeable
barrier and prevents nucleus bulging
- hyaline cartilage for permeable
What kind of joint is the intervertabral discs?
Secondary cartilaginous
How do the intervertebral discs degenerate with age?
- fibrous
- pigmented
- reduced height
- end plate damage
What are the ligaments of the vertebral column?
- Anterior longitudinal ligament
- posterior longitudinal ligament (inside canal)
- ligamentum flavum (connects adjacent lamina)
What are the ligament movements in spine flexion?
joints move apart
anterior ligament is slack
posterior ligament is stretched
What are the ligament movements in spine extension?
Joints are more packed
anterior ligament is stretched
posterior ligament is slack
Is the spine more stable in flexion or extension?
extension
What posterior muscles attach to the vertebral column?
Superficial layer = lats, trapezius, rhomboid minor and major
Intermediate layer = serratus posterior muscles
Deep layer =
superficial - spinotransversales
intermediate - errector spinae
deep - transversopinales
What are the parts of the sternum?
manubrium sterni
body
xiphoid process
What is the angle of Louis?
the sternal angle
site of the maubrium-body joint
at the 2nd costal cartilage
What are the different types of ribs?
true ribs = 1-7
false ribs = 8-10
floating ribs = 11-12
What type of joints are at the ribs?
1st sternocostal joint is primary cartilaginous (static)
Rest of the sternocostal joints are synovial
What muscles attach to the chest wall?
Sternocleiodomastoid and the scalene muscles
What are the features of a typical rib?
Head with 2 articular facets
Neck
Tubercle for attachment of transverse process
Angle of rib for back muscle attachment
Subcostal groove is site of neurovascular bundle
Which ribs are atypical?
1st, 2nd, 10th (sometimes), 11th and 12th
What are the features of the 1st rib?
short, flat, very curved
tubercle for scalenus anterior
single facet on head
groove for subclavian vessel
What are the features of the 2nd rib?
tubercles for scalenus posterior and anterior
What are the features of the 11th and 12th ribs?
no tubercles
don’t attach to sternum
What are the movements of the ribs?
True ribs lift the sternum (pump handle)
False ribs move outwards (bucket handle)
What is the difference between the rib cage in babies and adults?
Ribs are angled down in adults
They are horizontal in babies
What is the arterial supply to the diaphragm?
Musculophrenic artery
What are the boarders of the heart (surface anatomy)?
3rd costal cartilage
2nd intercostal space
6th costal cartilage
5th intercostal space (at mid-clavicular line)
What are the layers of the heart?
fibrous pericardium parietal pericardium visceral pericardium epicardium myocardium endocardium
What is the transverse pericardial sinus
Passage through the pericardial cavity that separates the arterial and venous flow
What are the different valves of the heart?
Right AV = tricuspid valve
Left AV = mitral/bicuspid valve
Aortic/pulmonary = semi-lunar valve
What is cardiac tamponade
accumulation of fluid in the pericardial cavity
What are the layers of vasculature?
endothelium tunica intima tunica media (smooth muscle) tunica adventita
What are the features of the right atrium?
crescent shaped comb-like muscle - musculi pectinati crista terminalis - embryological remnant, ridge down vena cava sinus venarum - smooth wall at back drains into coronary sinus
What are the features of the right ventricle?
circular thick and roughened walls high pressure in foetus infundibulum - smooth funnel-shaped region chordae tendinae
What are the features of the left atrium and ventricle?
smooth walls
less pronounced fossa and infundibulum
What are the features of foetal circulation?
Blood is shunted to left heart via foramen ovale
20% of blood is ejected to the ducturs arterious (bypasses aorta)
Is atrial or ventricular fibrillation more serious?
ventricular
What is the path of the right coronary artery?
Goes anteriorly
gives rise to SAN branch, right marginal artery and AVN branch
Then heads to the posterior interventricular artery
What is the path of the left coronary artery?
Goes posteriorly
passes behind the pulmonary trunk
gives rise to circumflex and left marginal arteries
What is a left dominant heart
When the major arterial supply to the heart comes from the LCA instead of the RCA
What are the boundaries of the thoracic cavity?
Superior - thoracic inlet
Posterior - thoracic outlet
What is the phrenic angle?
Sharp, narrow angle at lateral sides of diaphragm
Good site for biopsy of intrapleural fluid
What is the blood supply to the diaphragm?
superior and inferior phrenic arteries
What are the intrinsic muscles of respiration?
External intercostal muscles - fibres run down
Internal intercostal muscles - fibres run up
subcostal muscles
transversus thoracis - fibres run horizontally
serratus posterior
What muscles attach to the thoracic inlet?
sternocleidomastoid - moves head and inspiratory muscle (innervation from cranial nerve XI)
Scalene muscles - anterior, medius and posterior. flex neck and inspiratory muscle (innervation from cervical plexus)
What are the accessory muscles of inspiration?
Pectoralis major and minor
Serratus anterior
Abdominal muscles
What is flail chest?
When a segment of the rib cage becomes detached
the lung will be pulled in during inspiration
What are the components of the respiratory tract?
nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli
What are the paranasal sinuses?
Extensions of the nasal cavity in the head.
4 sets:
maxillary, frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal
What are the sections of the larynx?
supraglottis, glottis, epiglottis
What is the neurovasculature of the larynx?
Superior and inferior laryngeal arteries/veins
2 branches of the vagus nerve:
superior and recurrent laryngeal nerves
What are the cartilages of the larynx?
Unpaired: thyroid, cricoid, epiglottis
Paired: arytenoid, corniculate, cuneiform
Where does the trachea start and end?
Starts inferior to cricoid cartilage (C6)
Ends when it bifurcates at the sternal angle (T4/5)
What is the carnia?
a ridge of cartilage at the first point of bifurcation of the trachea. Triggers the cough reflex
What muscle supports the cartilage in the trachea?
trachealis muscle
Which bronchi is more prone to inhalation of foreign bodies?
Right, as it is more vertical, wider and shorter
What are the lobes and fissures of the lung?
Right: superior, middle, inferior lobes. Oblique and transverse fissures
Left: superior and inferior lobes. Oblique fissure
What are the contents of the lung root?
Bronchus Pulmonary artery Pulmonary veins nerve plexus lymphatics
Where does the lymphatic drainage of the lungs go?
intrapulmonary lymph nodes -> hilum -> trachea -> bronchiomediastinal lymph trunks -> great veins in root of neck
What is the blood supply of the lungs?
Pulmonary and bronchial arteries & veins
Right bronchial vein -> azygous vein
Left bronchial vein -> accessory hemizygous vein
What is the innervation of the lungs?
Pulmonary plexus:
Parasympathetic = branches of vagus nerve. controls vasodilation, SM contraction and secretion
Sympathetic = T1-T4. controls vasoconstriction and SM relaxation
What are the boarders of the superior mediastinum?
Superior - thoracic inlet
anterior - sternum manubrium
posterior - vertebral bodies
inferior - level of sternal angle
What are the contents of the superior mediastinum?
Aortic branches - brachiocephalic, left common carotid, left subclavian arteries
Veins - brachiocephalic, left intercostal and azygous veins
Nerves - vagus, phrenic
Thymus
Trachea
Oesophagus
Thoracic duct
What are the divisions and contents of the inferior mediastinum?
Anterior - only thymus gland in children
Middle - Heart, ascending aorta, SVC
Posterior - oesophagus, descending aorta
(no trachea)
Where are the points the oesophagus may be constricted
Cricoid cartilage (C6) Aortic arch (T4) Left bronchus (T5) Left atrium (T6-10) Opening in diaphragm (T10)
