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Anatomy term 2 > Anatomy of the vertebral column > Flashcards

Anatomy of the vertebral column Flashcards

1
Q

What does the back include? (7)

A
  1. Skin
  2. Subcutaneous tissue
  3. Vertebral column
  4. Spinal cord and meninges
  5. Ribs
  6. Nerves and vessels
  7. Muscles
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2
Q

How many cervical vertebrae are there?

A

7 (C1-C7)

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3
Q

How many thoracic vertebrae are there?

A

12 (T1-T12)

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4
Q

How many lumbar vertebrae are there?

A

5 (L1-L5)

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5
Q

How many sacral vertebrae are there?

A

5 (S1-S5)

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6
Q

How many bones are there in the coccygeal/coccyx region?

A

4 (small tightly fused bones)

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7
Q

Why do you become shorter when you are older?

A

-the intervertebral disks shrink as they become dehydrated

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8
Q

What is involved in the general structure of a vertebra? (5)

A
  1. body
  2. vertebral arch –> pedicles and laminae
  3. articular facets –> superior (x2) and inferior (x2)
  4. Processes - transverse (x2) and spinous
  5. vertebral foramen
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9
Q

What part of the vertebra is the weight bearing portion?

A

body

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10
Q

How many superior facets are there?

A

2

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11
Q

How many inferior facets are there?

A

2

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12
Q

How many transverse processes are there?

A

2

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13
Q

What runs through the vertebral foramen? (3)

A
  1. spinal cord
  2. meninges
  3. CSF
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14
Q

What is the vertebral arch made up of? (2)

A
  1. pedicles

2. Laminae

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15
Q

What are the 2 main types of processes in vertebra?

A
  1. transverse

2. spinous

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16
Q

What runs through the intervertebral foramen?

A
  • spinal nerve
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17
Q

Where are the vertebral notches?

A

-superior and inferior to the pedicles

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18
Q

What forms the intervertebral foramen? (2)

A
  1. superior and inferior vertebral notches of adjacent vertebrae
  2. intervertebral disc
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19
Q

What is the body of a cervical vertebra like? (2)

A
  1. small

2. with elevated uncus

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20
Q

What are the transverse process and pedicles like in cervical vertebra?

A
  • have tubercles anterior and posteriorly
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21
Q

What foramina are involved in cervical vertebrae?

A
  • transverse foramina
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22
Q

What is the uncus of the body of the cervical vertebra?

A
  • edges which unite vertebral bodies together
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23
Q

What is the spinous process of cervical vertebra like?

A

-BIFID (splits into 2)

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24
Q

Why is the body of cervical vertebra thin and small?

A
  • for fine positioning and movement of the head
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25
Q

What passes through transverse foramina?

A
  • vertebral arteries and veins
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26
Q

What is the cervical function of the foramina transversaria?

A
  • allows passage of vertebral artery and vein to the brain
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27
Q

Which cervical level do the vertebral arteries and veins not pass through?

A

C7

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28
Q

Why is dislocation of the cervical vertebrae likely?

A
  • as the articular facets are FLAT

- hence here is not much bony congruity

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29
Q

What is the varying severity of dislocation of cervical vertebra?

A
  1. Flexion sprain
  2. 25% subluxation
  3. 50% sublaxation
  4. Complete dislocation - facet jumping
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30
Q

What is complete dislocation also known as?

A

facet jumping

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31
Q

Why might sublaxation in cervical vertebra not compress the spinal cord?

A

as vertebral foramen is relatively wide

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32
Q

What are the 2 atypical cervical vertebrae?

A
  • C1 - Atlas

- C2 - Axis

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33
Q

What does the atlas (C1) not have? (2)

A
  1. spinous process

2. Body

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34
Q

What arches does Atlas (C1) contain?

A
  • anterior and posterior arches
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35
Q

What do the anterior and posterior arches on the atlas have?

A
  • tubercle

- lateral mass

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36
Q

What is the tubercles on the medial surface of the lateral mass for?

A
  • transverse ligament
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37
Q

What does the transverse ligament do?

A
  • holds in place the dens of the axis
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38
Q

What does the atlas (C1) articulate with?

A
  • the base of the skull
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39
Q

How many large surfaces does the axis (C2) have?

A

2

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40
Q

What does the atlas rotate upon on the axis?

A
  • superior articular facets
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41
Q

What is the distinguishing feature of the axis?

A

dens

42
Q

What is the dens also known as?

A

odontoid process

43
Q

Why does the transverse ligament of the atlas hold the dens in place?

A

to prevent horizontal displacement of the atlas

44
Q

What does the dens do?

A
  • allows the atlas to act as pivot

- allows the atlas to attach the head and enable it to move from side to side

45
Q

Why is the dens prone to fracture?

A

the bone of the dens is less dense

46
Q

What causes fracture of the dens? (2)

A
  • hyperextension

- hyperflexion

47
Q

Why is the spinal cord not usually affected in the fracture of the dens?

A
  • as the dens is held in place via the transverse ligament of the atlas
48
Q

What percentage of dens fractures results in non-union?

A

30-50%

49
Q

What is the treatment for non-union dens fractures?

A
  • atlantoaxis arthrodesis

- using bone graft from iliac crest

50
Q

What is the vertebral body of thoracic vertebra like? (2)

A
  • heart shaped

- superior and inferior costal demi-facets

51
Q

In thoracic vertebra what do the superior and inferior costal demi facets articulate with?

A

-head of rib

52
Q

What is the spinous process of thoracic vertebra like?

A
  • long

- extends postero-inferiorly

53
Q

In thoracic vertebra what does the transverse process articulate with?

A

tubercle of the rib

54
Q

How does the superior articular facet face in thoracic veterbra?

A

posteriorly

55
Q

How does the inferior articular facet face in thoracic vertebra?

A

anteriorly

56
Q

Explain the costovertebral joints (ribs and demifacets articulations)?

A
  • head of rib articulates with the superior demi facet of the corresponding (same number) vertebra
  • and articulates with the inferior dmeifacet of the vertebra above
57
Q

What is the vertebral body like in the lumbar region?

A

-large

58
Q

Which way do the superior articular facets face in the lumbar vertebrae?

A

medially

59
Q

Which way does the inferior articular facets face in the lumbar vertebrae?

A

laterally

60
Q

What is the spinous process like in the lumbar vertebrae?

A

short and sturdy

61
Q

What are the transverse processes like in the lumbar region and why are they like that?

A

not big - as they don;t have to articulate with something like the rib

62
Q

What is the vertebra of the sacrum like?

A

fused

63
Q

What passes through foramina of the sacrum?

A

spinal nerves

64
Q

Where do the foramina in the sacrum lie?

A

anteriorly and posteriorly

65
Q

What is the vertebrae held together by? (3)

A
  1. zygapophysial joints
  2. intervertebral discs
  3. intervertebral ligaments
66
Q

Where does the zygapophysial joints occur?

A

between superior and inferior articular processes of adjacent vertebrae

67
Q

What is the movement like in zygapophysial joints and what does it allow to do?

A
  • limited

- lateral extension and flexion

68
Q

What does orientation of articular facets determine?

A
  • types of movements that are possible
69
Q

Where do the intervertebral discs lie?

A

between vertebral bodies

70
Q

What is the intervertebral disc made up of? (2)

A
  1. annulus fibrosis

2. nucleus pulposus

71
Q

What is the annulus fibrosis of the intervertebral disc?

A
  • a fibrocartilage ring attached to epiphyseal rim of the vertebral body - very tough
  • it is the outer ring
72
Q

What is the nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc?

A

gelatinous substance that acts as shock absorber

73
Q

What is the nucleus pulpous rich in and what does do and act as?

A
  • water
  • acts as a rubber bouncy board
  • shock absorber
  • enables the vertebra to tilt
  • allows slight movement only
74
Q

What does the thickness of the intervertebral disc determine?

A

flexibility of the veterbra

  • the thicker the vertebral discs the more movement of the vertebra as more compression of the intervertebral disc is allowed.
75
Q

What are the ligaments of the vertebral column? (6)

A
  1. ligamentum flavum
  2. Posterior longitudinal ligament
  3. Anterior longitudinal ligament
  4. Interspinous ligament
  5. Supraspinous ligament
  6. Intertransverse ligament
76
Q

What do the ligaments of the vertebral column allow resistance to?

A

-hyperflexion and hyperextension of the vertebral column

77
Q

What does the ligamentum flavum of the vertebral column bind to?

A

lamina of adjacent vertebra

78
Q

What does the posterior longitudinal ligament bind to and what is it’s function in the vertebral column?

A
  • C2 to sacrum

- prevents posterior herniation of IV discs

79
Q

What does the anterior longitudinal ligament of the vertebral column attach to?

A
  • occipital bone and C1 to sacrum
80
Q

Which ligament is resistant to hyperextension of vertebral column? (1)

A

Anterior longitudinal ligament

81
Q

Which ligaments are resistant to hyper flexion? (2)

A

all the others apart from anterior longitudinal ligament

82
Q

What happens in whiplash?

A

hyperextension of the cervical neck

83
Q

What is whiplash commonly caused by?

A
  • rear end car crashes

- esp if the head rest is too low

84
Q

Which ligament in whiplash is torn/ stretched?

A

anterior longitudinal ligament

85
Q

What can happen in severe cases of whiplash?

A
  • part of the vertebral body is avulsed
  • hence vertebra can dislocate
  • this may cause the compression of the spinal cord
86
Q

What are the movements of the vertebral column?

A
  1. extension/flexion
  2. lateral flexion
  3. rotation
87
Q

Why may movements vary in different regions of the vertebra?

A
  • due to orientation of zygapophysial joints

- and thickness of intervertebral discs

88
Q

What are the curvatures of the vertebral column?

A
  • thoracic and sacral kyphosis

- cervical and lumbar lordosis

89
Q

When are primary curvatures present?

A

since in foetus - never changes in life

90
Q

Where are secondary curvatures present?

A

develop later - changes shape during life

91
Q

What are the abnormal curvatures? (3)

A
  1. Excessive kyphosis (bent too forwards)
  2. Excessive lordosis (bend too backwards)
  3. Scoliosis (wonky)
92
Q

What group of people is osteoporosis most common in?

A
  • post menopausal women

- due to decreased oestrogen - which protects bones

93
Q

What happens in osteoporosis?

A
  • loss of trabecular in bones
94
Q

What type of fracture happen as a result of osteoporosis in vertebral column?

A
  • compression fracture
95
Q

Why do surgeons sometimes leave ovaries in a hysterectomy?

A
  • so that oestrogen is still produced to protect the bones
96
Q

What are the effects of ageing on the vertebrae?

A
  • loss of bone density leading to concave vertebral bodies

- osteophytes develop in response to increased for ce on the rims of the vertebrae

97
Q

What may ageing do to the intervertebral discs?

A
  • herniation of nucleus pulpous (slipped discs)
98
Q

What direction does herniation nucleus pulposus usually happen in and between which vertebral levels?

A
  • posterolateral

- between L4/5 or L5/S1

99
Q

What can compression of spinal nerve roots caused by herniation of nucleus pulposus result in?

A
  • lower back pain or sciatica
100
Q

What can happen in severe cases of herniation of nucleus pulposus?

A
  • compression of most of the caudal equine

- this is called caudal equine syndrome

101
Q

What is sciatica?

A
  • compression of the sciatic nerve due to nucleus pulposus/ slipped disc
  • this results in numbness which runs til below the knee
102
Q

Why does ageing cause herniation of nucleus pulposus?

A
  • increase pressure on the vertebral column due to dehydration and loss in structure

Anatomy term 2 (25 decks)

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