CONGENITAL ANOMALIES OF VERTEBRAL COLUMN

Question 1

– two or more vertebrae may be united forming one bone with no joint between. It is also called the
“bamboo spine”.

Answer 1

Fusion of Vertebrae

Question 2

– maybe the (R) or (L) half of a vertebra maybe absent, or maybe one half of
one vertebra may fuse with the vertebra above or below, leaving the other half as a separate
bone. Also called “Butterfly vertebrae”.

Answer 2

Hemi vertebrae

Question 3

– is the lack of union or mal-
union of laminae. In Spina Bifida, the laminae of a vertebra may fail to unite each other in the midline posteriorly

Answer 3

Spina Bifida

Question 4

– a defect maybe
present between the superior and inferior
articular processes of a vertebra. This defect
usually occurs at L5.

Answer 4

Inter-articular Defect

Question 5

– the lower part of the
Sacrum may fail to develop, if so, the coccyx will
also be absent.

Answer 5

Absence of Sacrum

Question 6

– the last lumbar vertebra may
be partly or completely fused with the first
sacral segment.

Answer 6

Sacralization

Question 7

*The reverse may also occur where
the first sacral body may form as a
separate bone, resulting in six (6)
lumbar vertebrae—

Answer 7

“Lumbarization”