Back & Spine Flashcards
What are the 5 parts of the spine
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
Coccygeal
What are the primary curvatures
Part of the spine that maintain original fetal curve
Thoracic, sacral & coccygea
What are the secondary curve regions
Cervical
Lumbar
What hold the vertebral bodies together
IVD
Anterior & posterior longitudinal ligaments
What type of joint is between arches
Facet or zygapophyseal
What are the ligaments b/w arches
Ligamenta flava
Supraspinous lig
Interspinous lig
Intertransverse lig
What posteriorly binds the vertebral column
Laminae & ligamenta flava
What type of joint is the zygapophyseal joint
Synovial
What two surfaces are involved in zygaopophyseal joint
Superior articular process of one vertebra
Inferior articular process of anotehr
What do the zygapophysial joints function to protect against
Anterior shear forces
Excessive rotation
Flexion
What are luschka’s joints
Formed b./w unciate processes of C3-6
Allow flex & extension
Limit lateral flexion
What makes up the atlanto-occipital joint
Occipital condyle & concave facet on lateral mass of atlas
What nerve supplies atlanto-occipital joint
C1
What does the atlanto-occipital joint movements allow
Nodding & lateral flexion of the head
What movement is made possible at atlanto-axial joint
Rotation of head
What articulates in the median atlantoaxial joint
Dens with back of anterior arch of atlas (synovial)
What articulates in lateral atlantoaxial joint
B/w inferior articular facet of the atlas & superior articular facet of the axis
What blood supplies the vertebrae
Supplied segmentally by vertebral, ascending & deep cervical, posterior intercostal, lumbar & lateral sacral A
What drains the vertebra
Basivertebral veins into internal vertebral venous plexus
What are the layers of the extensor muscles of the spine
Deep - interspinales, intertransversales
Intermediate - semispinalis, multifudus, rotatores
Superficial - longissimus, iliocostalis, spinalis
What nerves supply the extensor muscles of the spine
Supplied segmentally by posterior rami of spinal nerves
What is the posterior most muscle of the neck
Splenius
What lies beneath splenius in the neck
Longissimus capitus
Semispinalis capitis
What binds the suboccipital triangle
Rectus capitis posterior major
Superior & inferior oblique muscles
Floor: Posterior arch of atlas & posterior atlanto-occipital membrane
Roof: semispinalis capitis & splenius capitis
What runs across floor of suboccipital triangle
Vertebral A
What emerges through the floor of suboccipital triangle
C1 suboccipital N
What runs across the roof of suboccipital triangle
Greater occipital N (C2)
Occipital A
Where does greater occipital rise & and where does it run
post ramus C2
Emerges upwards across roof of suboccipital triangle
Pierces & supplies semisplinalis capitis
Extends up to supply skin of the scalp up to the vertex
What are the 4 muscles associated with suboccipital triangle
Rectus capitis posterior major & minor
Inferior oblique
Superior oblique
What is the route of vertebral A
Arise from subclavian A, enter deep to transverse process of C6, then travels through foramen til C1. At C1 travel across posterior arch of atlas before entering foramen magnum
How many parts of the vertebral A are there and what do they correlate to
Part 1 = pre foraminal
Part 2 = foraminal
part 3 = C2 to dura
part 4 = intradural
Typical features of cervical vertebra
Kidney shaped body
Small vertebral foramen
Uncus
Bifid spinous process
Transverse foramen
What are the atypical cervical vertebra
Atlas
Axis
C7 (vertebra prominens)
Features of atlas
Lack of body
2 lateral processes/mass
Long posterior arch is grooved by vertebral A
No anterior/post tubercles
Widest cervical vertebra
Internal jugular crosses by the accessory nerve in front of transverse process
Axis features
Dens
Transverse process
Bifid process large
Transverse foramen
Laminae
C7 features
No bifid - rounded tubercle on the end
Small transverse process, no vertebral A (contains posterior V)
Small anterior tubercle
Typical features of thoracic vertebra
COSTAL FACETS
Upper is larger & articulates with rib of same level
Heart shaped
Almost circular vertebral foramen
Pedicles
Spinous processes slope downwards
Transverse processes project lateral & carry costal facets
Distinctive features of T1
Broad, not heart shaped body
Ariculate with head of 1st rib
Demifacet for 2nd rib at lower border of body
Pedicle attaches below upper margin of bodyy
Lower thoracic vertebra features (T10-12)
Single costal facets on body
Features specific to lumbar vertebra
Kidney shaped body
Triangle vertebral canal
Shorter transverse process (variable)
Spinous process is quadrangular
Mamillary process on superior articular facet
Sacral features
5 short bones fused together
Sacral promontory
Ala of sacrum
4 anterior sacral foramina
Median, intermediate & lateral sacral crests
Sacral hiatus
Sacral cornu
Sacral canal
What is contained in sacral canal
Meninges that extend down to S3 then the tilum terminale pierce the dura runs down and blend with the perisoteum on back of coccyx
What makes the coccyx
4 fused bones
What separates the bodies form the meninges
Epidural space, which has the internal vertebral plexus
What are the boundaries of the vertebral canal
Ant - bodies of vertebra, IVD, post longitudinal lig
Post - vertebral laminae, ligamenta flava
Lateral - pedicles of the vertebra & intervertebral foramina
Where does the spinal dura travel to
S2
What is difference b/w filum terminale & cauda equina
Filum terminale is just pia mater
Cauda equina has nerves
What is the fx of denticulate ligament
Connect side of spinal cord to dura
Where does conus medullaris end in adults vs birth
Adults = L1/2
Birth = L3
Blood supply to spinal cord
Anterior & L/R posterior spinal A
What forms the ant spinal A
Formed in foramen magnum from 2 anterior spinal branches of vertebral A
What are the radicular A
Highly important contributions to reinforce longitudinal tracts
What extremities contribute to gracile tract
Lower extremities
