Intervertebral Foramen etc. Flashcards
What is the average height of the intervertebral foramen?
about 13mm
What percent of total vertebral column length does “true” intervertebral foramina height from C2-S1 equal?
40%
What percent of total vertebral column length does all intervertebral foramina height from occiput - Co1 equal?
53%
What are the generic contents of the intervertebral foramen?
neural tissue, connective tissue, vascular tissue, lymphatic tissue
What is the percent of neural tissue in the intervertebral foramen?
from 8 to 50 percent
What are medullary feeder arteries?
enlarged radicular arteries which join the arterial vasa corona to provide blood for the spinal cord
What is the name of the largest medullary feeder artery?
the artery of Adamkiewicz or the arteria radicalis magna anterior
What are the characteristics of the Artery of Adamkiewicz?
it is a left side, anterior medullary feeder artery, located in the T9/T10 intervertebral foramen, and the primary vascular supply to the lumbar enlargement
What ligament lies next to the anterior internal vertebral venous plexus?
the posterior longitudinal ligament
What is a unique histological feature of the veins of the vertebral column?
they appear to lack valves
What size lymphatic vessels lie in the intervertebral foramen?
medium sized lymphatics
What types of connective tissue will be present in the intervertebral foramen?
adipose tissue or loose areolar connective tissue
What parts of the cervical vertebra will modify the intervertebral foramen?
the lateral groove and uncinate process
What happens to cervical nerve roots between their origin from the spinal cord and exit from the intervertebral foramen?
they descend along the spinal cord
What is the relationship between aging and cervical spine nerve root characteristics?
the length of the nerve root increases as it descends from its apparent origin on the spinal cord, but the cross-sectional area of the nerve root decreases