Anatomy W1 - Cervical spine Flashcards
How many cervical vertebrate are there?
7
How many cervical nerves are there?
8
How can you differentiate (human) cervical vertebrate from other (human) vertebrate?
All CERVICAL vertebrate have a foramen transverarium
this carries the vertebral artery, vein and sympathetic nerve plexus
What is C1 called?
The atlas
What is C2 called?
The axis
What is the name given to C3-6?
Typical cervical vertebrate
How do you identify the different TYPICAL cervical vertebrate (C3-C6) ?
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.
Describe the body of a typical cervical vertebrate.
The body has a curved concave surface with slightly raised lateral borders
What is found between each cervical vertebrate?
There are intervertebral discs between each vertebrate. These discs are composed of fibrocartilage.
What is the name of the joints between the vertebrate?
Symphysis joint/secondary joint
bone, fibrocartilage, bone
What structure does the spinal chord run through?
The vertebral foramen
Where do the nerves lie in cervical vertebrate?
Above the vertebrate
i.e. C5 nerve runs up and over the C5 vertebrate.
How would you describe the spinous process in a typical cervical vertebrate?
Bifid - 2 processes
What structure caries the vertebral artery in the typical cervical vertebrate AND C1 & C2?
The foramen transverarium
What joint is present at the superior articular facet?
A synovial joint
What pathology can affect the superior articular facet? Explain.
Osteoarthritis - Osteophytes can form in this joint which can apply pressure to the nerve and generate pain.
What two structures work together to allow nodding/flexion and extension of the head?
The atlas (C1) and the skull
What joint allows nodding of the head?
Atlantooccipital joint
C1/ the atlas is described as Atypical - what features make it unique?
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
What two structures work together to allow rotation of the head?
The atlas C1 and the axis C2
C2 / the axis is described as Atypical - what features make it unique?
Has an odontoid process/dens
Has flat facets to aid rotation.
C7 is also described as Atypical - what features make it unique?
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)
