Cervical spine & the Vertebral Column Fill in the space Flashcards
The vertebral column has four main functions:
Protection –
_____ and ____ the spinal cord within the spinal canal.
Support posture – carries the weight of the body above the pelvis.
enclose and protects support posture
The sacrum is a collection of five fused vertebrae. It is described as an upside down triangle, with the ____ pointing inferiorly. On the _____ walls of the sacrum are facets, for _______ with the pelvis at the sacro-iliac joints. The ______is a small bone, which articulates with the apex of the ____. It is recognised by its lack of vertebral arches. Due to the lack of ____ _____, there is no vertebral canal, and so the coccyx does not transmit the spinal cord.
apex lateral articulation coccyx sacrum vertebral arches
The _____ C1 differs from the other cervical vertebrae in that it has no __________ and no spinous process. It also has an _________ anteriorly, which articulates with the dens of the axis. The atlas also has ___________ on either side of the vertebral arch, which provide an attachment for the ______ ligament of the atlas. The posterior arch has a groove for the vertebral artery and C1 spinal nerve.
atlas (C1) vertebral body articular facet lateral masses transverse
The ___________ disc lies between the vertebral body joining them together. There are two regions in the vertebral disc: the __________ and _________ The former is a tough and collagenous surrounding the ___________, which is a jelly like substance and is located posteriorly. In a herniation of a Intervertebral disc the _________ can rupture breaking through the _______
nucleus pulposes and annulus fibrosus
This is an abnormality in the spine and presents itself as lateral curve in the spine
scoliosis
The cervical vertebrae have three features which distinguish them from thoracic vertebrae: _________ vertebral foramen. ____ spinous process – this is where the spinous process splits into ____ distally. _______________ – holes in the transverse processes. They give passage to the vertebral artery, vein and __________ . The atlas and axis have additional features that mark them apart from the other cervical vertebrae.
Triangular Bifid two Transverse foramina sympathetic nerves
six major ligaments of the cervical spine.
The majority of these ligaments are present throughout the entire vertebral column.
Present throughout Vertebral Column 1_________and 2)________:
Long ligaments that run the length of the vertebral column, covering the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs.
3) ________: Connects the laminae of adjacent vertebrae.
4) _________: Connects the spinous processes of adjacent vertebrae.
This ligament is unique to Cervical Spine and is really a continuation of the supraspinous ligament 5). _________ It attaches to the tips of the spinous processes from ____ to ____.
This ligament connects the lateral masses of the atlas, and in doing so anchors the dens in place.6.)________
-Anterior and posterior Longitudinal ligaments
Ligamentum flavum
interspinous ligament
Nuchal ligament c1-c7
Transverse ligament
The vertebral column is a vertical series of approximately ____ small bones (known as vertebrae), which are separated by intervertebral discs. It can be separated into five different regions, with each region characterised by a different vertebral structure. In this article, we shall look at the anatomy of the vertebral column – its structure, joints and ligaments.
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Each vertebra has five articulations. The vertebral bodies indirectly articulate with each other, and the articular processes also form joints. The vertebral body joints are _______ joints, designed for weight-bearing. The ___________ are covered by hyaline cartilage, and are connected by a _________intervertebral disc. There are two ligaments that strengthen these joints; the anterior and posterior ________ ligaments. The anterior longitudinal ligament is thick and prevents __________ of the vertebral column. The posterior longitudinal ligament is weaker and prevents ________. The joints between the articular facets are called ____ joints. These allow for some ______motions between the vertebrae. They are strengthened by various ligaments: ________ extends from lamina to lamina. _______ and _______ligaments: These join the spinous processes together. The ________ ligaments attach between processes, and the ______ ligaments attach to the tips. _____________ ligaments: extends between transverse processes
cartilaginous articular surfaces fibrocartilage longitudinal hyperextension hyperflexion facet gliding Ligamentum Flavum: Interspinous Supraspinous interspinous supraspinous Intertransverse
The joints of the cervical spine can be divided into two groups – those that are present throughout the vertebral column, and those unique to the cervical spine. Present throughout Vertebral Column There are two different joints present throughout the vertebral column: Between vertebral bodies – adjacent vertebral bodies are joined by_________ , made of fibrocartilage. This is a type of cartilaginous joint, known as a _____. Between vertebral arches – formed by the articulation of _____ and inferior articular processes from adjacent vertebrae. It is a ______ joint. Unique to Cervical Spine The__________ and atlanto-_____joints are unique to the cervical spine. The _____-axial joints are formed by the articulation between the ____ and the ___: There are two lateral atlanto-axial joints which are formed by the articulation between the _____ facets of the lateral masses of C1 and the _____ facets of C2. These are ____ type synovial joints. The medial atlanto-axial joint is formed by the articulation of the ____ of C2 with the _______ of C1. This is a ____ type synovial joint.
intervertebral discs symphysis superior, inferior synovial type atlas and axis atlanto-axial Atlanto-occipital Atlanta\ inferior facets superior plane dens of C2 articular facet of C1 pivot
All vertebrae share a basic common structure. They each consist of a ________, situated anteriorly, and a posterior __________.
Vertebral body vertebral arch
The C7 vertebrae has a much longer spinous process, which does not ______.
bifurcate
Axis The ____(C2) is easily identifiable due to its dens or _____ which extends ______ from the anterior portion of the vertebra. The dens articulates with the __________ of the atlas, in doing so creating the medial ________ joint. This allows for rotation of the head independently of the torso.
axis dens (odontoid process) superiorly articular facet atlanto-axial
The atlanto-occipital joints consist of an articulation between the____and the ____. They occur between then_________of the lateral masses of the atlas and the ___________at the base of the cranium. These are _____ type synovial joints, and permit ____ at the head i.e. nodding.
spine and cranium superior facets occipital condyles condyloid flexion
The______spine is the most ______ portion of the vertebral column, lying between the cranium and the thoracic vertebrae. It consists of _____ distinct vertebrae, two of which are given unique names: The first cervical vertebrae (C1) is known as the ____. The second cervical vertebrae (C2) is known as the ____.
cervical, superior, 7 atlas axis
