Cranium and Spine Flashcards
Cranium
- encases brain
- attachments for muscles
- contains sinuses (air filled spaces)
Fontanelle
Soft spot on baby’s skull where the bones have not yet fused together (incompletely formed cranial bones)
- anterior and posterior fontanelle
Head /brain injuries
- closed head injuries
- open or penetrating wounds
Vertebral Column
- vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs made of cartilage
- each vertebra given a name according to location
Thoracic Cage
- sternum
- vertebrae
- costal cartilages
- ribs (12 pairs)
Ribs
- 7 true ribs directly attached to sternum
- 5 false ribs:
3 joined to 7th rib
2 pairs of floating ribs
What are the two components of intervertebral discs?
- anulus fibrosus
- nucleus pulposus
Anulus fibrosus
Out rim of fibrocartilage of intervertebral discs
- connects vertebrae in a fibrocartilaginous joint
Nucleus pulposus
A central mass enclosed by the anulus of intervertebral disc
- acts as a shock absorber
- blood vessels or nerves can’t penetrate nucleus
How does the nucleus pulposus change with age? (3)
- 80-90% water, decreases with age
- nucleus becomes more fibrocartilaginous
- so less easily deformable & more easily damaged
How are acute spinal cord injuries caused?
- birth injuries
- falls
- motor vehicle accidents
- sports injuries
Symptoms of acute spinal cord injuries?
Depends on site of injury
- muscle weakness
- loss of sensation
Diagnosis of acute spinal cord injuries
- X-ray
- CT scan
- MRI
Treatment of acute spinal cord injuries
- immediate immobilisation
- long rehabilitation
Prolapsed Disc
(Slipped disc)
- nucleus under extreme pressure
- herniates or extrudes from the disc
- in a posterior/posterior-lateral direction
