Anatomy of the Neck Flashcards
Where does the membrana tectoria sit?
Posterior wall of the vertebral bodies
At what vertebral level does the CCA bificate?
C4
Are prolapses more common in the cervical or lumbar spine?
Lumbar
Which ligament connects the atlas and occiput?
The posterior atlanto-occipital membrane
What is the name of the fascia that surrounds the centre layer of bones and muscles?
Prevertebral layer
What are the 5 surface regions of the neck from anterior to posterior?
Anterior triangle
Root of the neck and Sternomastoid region
Posterior triangle
Back of the neck/vertebral region
What structures run in the carotid sheath?
The carotid artery
The internal jugular vein
The vagus nerve
Why does the head drop forward when people fall asleep in lectures?
Because the centre of gravity is infront of the cervical spine
Where are the anterior and posterior tubercles located?
Ant and post to the transverse foraminae
Where and what types are the joints atlanto-occipital joints?
Lateral aspect of the atlas
Synovial
What do you call it when the first rib articulates with C7 instead of T1?
Cranial shift
What movement occurs at the atlanto-occipital joints?
Nodding
What is the function of the uncinate process of the vertebral bodies?
They keep movement in the sagittal plane
At what age does the cervical lordosis appear?
6-9 months
Does the spinal nerves of the cervical vertebrae usually travel anterior or posterior to the facet joints?
Anterior, except in C1 and C2 where it passes posterior
What is the function of the atlas?
“Washer” - allows free movement of the skull on the axis
What is the name of the fascia that surround all the structures of the neck?
The investing layer
What structure on the skull does the atlas articulate with?
Occipital condyles
How do the spinous processes of the cervical vertebrae differ from other vertebrae?
They bificate at the end
What runs in the posterior triangle?
Veins, nerves and arteries for the upper limb
What can happen to the anterior cartilages of the neck with age?
They can ossify
Where is the facet for the dens located on the atlas?
Anterior arch
Which transverse foramen doesn’t the vertebral arteries run in?
C7
What type of injury are facet joints particularly susceptible to?
Hyperextension
What is the name of the fascia that surround the vessels and nerves in the neck?
The carotid sheath
How many joints are there between the atlas and axis?
3
- One median pivot joint between dens and ant arch of atlas
- Two lateral facet joints
Where does the anterior atlanto-occipital membrane sit?
Ant aspect of the vertebral bodies
What is the name of the fascia that surrounds the trachea and viscera of the neck?
The pretracheal layer
What makes the scalenus anterior a key landmark in the neck?
The brachial plexus, subclavian artery and phrenic nerve run between the scalenus anterior and medius
Do the spinal nerves of the cervical spine exit superior or inferior to the transverse processes?
Superiorly
Which nerve innervates the facet joints?
Posterior rami
Which cervical vertebrae are considered typical?
C3-C6
What do cervical ribs form from?
Extension of the anterior tubercle of C7
What is the function of the alar ligament?
Stops the range of rotation of the atlas around the dens
Where does the scalenus anterior insert onto the cervical vertebrae?
The anterior tubercle
What are the uncinate processes of the vertebral bodies?
Hook like process that extend from the lateral edges of the body upwards.
What does the transverse ligament do?
Prevents dens retracting posteriorly into the vertebral canal
T/F the articular surfaces of the vertebrae are at 45º angle
True
Why does pus, blood and infectious materal run up and down in the neck and not laterally?
Because the fascia layers prevent that
Why are the prevertebral (anterior vertebral) muscles important?
Surgents must cut past them during surgery to gain access to the spine
What is the major problem with a cervical disc prolapse?
Impinging on the spinal cord
What do you call it when the 12th rib articulates with L1 instead of T12?
Caudal shift
What can occur in the cervical vertebrae with age?
Osteophytic outgrowths between body and transverse processes that impinge on spinal nerves
Why are cervical ribs clinically important?
They can cause entrapment of vessels and nerves running through it, particularly the brachial plexus
What happens as the intervertebral disc start to decrease in size with age?
Osteophytes can connect vertebral body
What are the lateral vertebral muscles called?
Anterior, medius and posterior scalenus
Why is the anterior tubercle of C6 sometime called the carotid tubercle?
Because it may impinge on the carotid
Which comes first when going down the cervical spine, the atlas or the axis?
Atlas
Which cervical vertebrae has the longest transverse process
The atlas
What is the shape of the cervical spine?
There is a convex lordosis (facing anteriorly) which is called the cervical lordosis
