Anatomy W1 - Cervical spine

Question 1

How many cervical vertebrate are there?

Answer 1

7

Question 2

How many cervical nerves are there?

Answer 2

8

Question 3

How can you differentiate (human) cervical vertebrate from other (human) vertebrate?

Answer 3

All CERVICAL vertebrate have a foramen transverarium
(this carries the vertebral artery, vein and sympathetic nerve plexus)

Question 4

What is C1 called?

Answer 4

The atlas

Question 5

What is C2 called?

Answer 5

The axis

Question 6

What is the name given to C3-6?

Answer 6

Typical cervical vertebrate

Question 7

How do you identify the different TYPICAL cervical vertebrate (C3-C6) ?

Answer 7

Can only identify C3-6 If they are all present and you can compare.

As you move down the cervical vertebrate the groove where the nerve lies gets larger in size, i.e. C6 has a larger groove than C5,4,3.

Question 8

Describe the body of a typical cervical vertebrate.

Answer 8

The body has a curved concave surface with slightly raised lateral borders

Question 9

What is found between each cervical vertebrate?

Answer 9

There are intervertebral discs between each vertebrate. These discs are composed of fibrocartilage.

Question 10

What is the name of the joints between the vertebrate?

Answer 10

Symphysis joint/secondary joint

(bone, fibrocartilage, bone)

Question 11

What structure does the spinal chord run through?

Answer 11

The vertebral foramen

Question 12

Where do the nerves lie in cervical vertebrate?

Answer 12

Above the vertebrate

i.e. C5 nerve runs up and over the C5 vertebrate.

Question 13

How would you describe the spinous process in a typical cervical vertebrate?

Answer 13

Bifid - 2 processes

Question 14

What structure caries the vertebral artery in the typical cervical vertebrate AND C1 & C2?

Answer 14

The foramen transverarium

Question 15

What joint is present at the superior articular facet?

Answer 15

A synovial joint

Question 16

What pathology can affect the superior articular facet? Explain.

Answer 16

Osteoarthritis - Osteophytes can form in this joint which can apply pressure to the nerve and generate pain.

Question 17

What two structures work together to allow nodding/flexion and extension of the head?

Answer 17

The atlas (C1) and the skull

Question 18

What joint allows nodding of the head?

Answer 18

Atlantooccipital joint

Question 19

C1/ the atlas is described as Atypical - what features make it unique?

Answer 19

Has no vertebral body

Has no spinous process - instead has a posterior tubercle and a posterior arch.

The facets are kidney/oval and concave in shape.

It has a wider transverse process

Question 20

What two structures work together to allow rotation of the head?

Answer 20

The atlas C1 and the axis C2

Question 21

C2 / the axis is described as Atypical - what features make it unique?

Answer 21

Has an odontoid process/dens

Has flat facets to aid rotation.

Question 22

C7 is also described as Atypical - what features make it unique?

Answer 22

It has a large spinous process which IS NOT bifid - resembles thoracic vertebrate.

The vertebral artery doesn’t pass through the foramen transverarium (artery passes in C1-6)