Intervertebral Foramen: Contents

Question 1

What are the generic contents of the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 1

• neural tissue
• connective tissue
• vascular tissue
• lymphatic tissue

Question 2

What is the percent of neural tissue in the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 2

8-50%

Question 3

What parts of the PNS may lie in the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 3

• ventral nerve root
• dorsal nerve root ganglion
• mixed spinal nerve
• ventral primary ramus
• dorsal primary ramus
• recurrent meningeal (sinuvertebral) nerve

Question 4

What are the segmental arteries in general? What are they for each region of the spine?

Answer 4

• the arteries whose branches supply the vertebra or segment
• cervical: vertebral artery, ascending cervical artery, deep cervical artery
• thoracic: deep cervical artery, highest (superior) intercostal artery, posterior intercostal artery, subcostal artery
• lumbar: lumbar arteries, iliolumbar artery, lateral sacral artery, median sacral artery
• L5: iliolumbar artery, lateral and median sacral arteries
• sacrum: lateral and median sacral arteries

Question 5

What branches of the spinal artery may occupy the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 5

• osseous arteries
• anterior spinal canal a.
• posterior spinal canal a.
• anterior medullary feeder a.
• posterior medullary feeder a.

Question 6

What are medullary feeder arteries?

Answer 6

enlarged radicular arteries which join the arterial vasa corona to provide blood for the spinal cord

Question 7

What is the name of the largest medullary feeder artery?

Answer 7

the artery of Adamkiewicz or arteria radicalis magna anterior

Question 8

What are the characteristics of the artery of Adamkiewicz?

Answer 8

• left side
• it is an anterior medullary feeder artery
• typically in the T9/T10 intervertebral foramen
• supplies the lumbar enlargement

Question 9

What is the most likely region of the thoracic spine for herniation?

Answer 9

below T8

Question 10

What veins drain the venous vasa corona toward the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 10

anterior and posterior medullary veins

Question 11

What veins drain the nerve roots toward the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 11

anterior and posterior radicular veins

Question 12

What lig. lies next to the anterior internal vertebral venous plexus?

Answer 12

the posterior longitudinal lig.

Question 13

What lig. lies next to the posterior internal vertebral venous plexus?

Answer 13

ligamentum flavum

Question 14

What is the name given to the veins of the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 14

intervertebral veins

Question 15

What will the intervertebral veins drain into?

Answer 15

external vertebral venous plexus or Batson’s plexus

Question 16

Which venous vessels of the vertebra will drain into the segmental veins?

Answer 16

external vertebral venous plexus or Batson’s plexus

Question 17

What is a unique histological feature of the veins of the vertebral column?

Answer 17

they appear to lack valves

Question 18

What size lymphatic vessels lie in the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 18

medium

Question 19

What types of connective tissue will be present in the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 19

• adipose tissue

- loose areolar connective tissue