Cervical And Thoracic Spine And Clinical Disorder Flashcards
How many cervical vertebrae are there?
7
How many cervical nerves are there?
8
How many thoracic vertebrae are there?
12
Why are people more likely to develop age related problems in the cervical spine than the thoracic spine?
Cervical spine is mobile
Thoracic spine is immobile
Why does the size of vertebrae increase as you descend the spine?
Have to be able to bear more weight as you go down the spine
What cervical vertebrae have the TYPICAL characteristics of a cervical vertebra?
C3 - C6
What are the differences of a typical cervical vertebrae to a lumbar vertebra?
Bifid Spinous Process
Transverse Foramen
What is meant by the Bifid spinous process of a Typical cervical vertebra?
Has 2 prominences at the tip rather than just 1
What is a transverse Foramen?
Hole in the transverse processes
What is transmitted through the transverse Foramen of C1 - C6?
Vertebral artery
Vertebral vein
Sympathetic nerve plexus
What is transmitted through the transverse foramen of C7?
Accessory vertebral vein
What are the 3 atypical cervical vertebrae?
C1 (Atlas)
C2 (Axis)
C7
What is the atypical structure of the Atlas (C1)?
NO vertebral body
NO spinous process
Large lateral masses
What does C1 articulate with?
The occipital bone of the head and the Axis (C2)
What does the remnant of the vertebral body of C1 form?
The Odontoid process
Why is the atlas (C1) the widest cervical vertebra?
Lots of space for the spinal cord
Why does the atlas have very large lateral masses?
To support the heavy weight of the head
What attaches at the anterior arch and anterior tubercle of the atlas?
Anterior Longitudinal Ligament
What is the atypical structure of the Axis (C2)?
Odontoid process/dens
Broadest spinous process of the Cervical vertebra
What does the articulation between C1 and C2 allow for?
Rotation
Where is the Transverse ligament in the C1, C2 articulation?
Posterior to the odontoid process
What is the function of the Transverse Ligament?
Prevents horizontal displacement of the atlas (C1)
What is Atlantoaxial instability?
Weakness at the articulation between C1 and C2
What can cause Atlantoaxial instability (C1 and C2)?
Fracture at C1 damages the transverse ligament
General degradation
How can Atlantoaxial (C1 and C2) instability cause neurological issues?
When the neck is flexed forward C1 can move forward on C2 which can put pressure on the spinal cord
What is the atypical structure of C7 vertebra?
LONGEST spinous process
Non Bifid spinous process
Large transverse process but small transverse foramen
What are the ligaments of the cervical and thoracic vertebra?
Anterior longitudinal ligament
Posterior longitudinal ligament
Ligamentum flavum
Interspinous ligament
Supraspinous ligament
Where is the anterior longitudinal ligament?
Anterior surface of the vertebral body
Where is the posterior longitudinal ligament?
Posterior part of the vertebral body, the front of the spinal canal
Where is the ligamentum flavum?
Back of the spinal canal
Where is the interspinous ligament?
Between the spinous processes
Where is the supraspinous ligament?
At the tips of the spinous processes
What is the Ligamentum Nuchae?
A thickening of the supraspinous ligament