Lumbar Spine and Miscellaneous Lumbar Questions Flashcards
What is the generic shape of the typical lumbar vertebral body from the cranial view?
reniform or kidney-shaped
What accounts for the direction of lumbar curve?
vertebral body and intervertebral disc have a greater anterior height than posterior height
How many joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?
six
How many cartilaginous (amphiarthorsis) symphysis joint surfaces are on a typical lumbar vertebral body?
two
How many synovial joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?
none
How many fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are a typical lumbar vertebral body?
four
What muscle(s) may attach from the second down to the fourth lumbar vertebral body?
psoas major
Psoas minor will only attach to the vertebral body of which segment?
T12, L1
What is the name given to ligaments that attach the vertebral body to articular process?
transforaminal ligament
What ligaments attach the vertebral body to the transverse process?
corporotransverse ligaments
Hofmann ligaments are identified in which region along the vertebral column?
cervical - upper thoracic region and lumbar region
Cervical - upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?
dura mater to segments above
What is the highest level known to demonstrate Hofmann ligaments?
C8
What is the proposed function of the cervical - upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments?
resist caudal movement of the dural sac;
resist gravitational forces on the dura and cord
Lumbar Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?
dura mater to lower segmental levels
What is the proposed function of the lumbar Hofman ligaments?
resist cranial movement of the dural sac during flexion
What osseous conditions of lumbar vertebrae facilitate a spinal tap in this region?
overlap of the laminae, shingling, diminishes;
overlap of spinous processes, imbrication, diminishes
What is the name of the elevation near the origin of the lumbar transverse process?
accessory process
A styloid process occurs with what frequency and as a result of what condition?
7% occurrence as a result of congenital elongation of the lumbar accessory process
What muscle(s) attach to the lumbar accessory process?
longissimus thoracis and intertransversarii
What muscles may attach to the transverse process of a typical lumbar vertebrae?
psoas major, quadratus lumborum, longissimus thoracis, rotator brevis, rotator longus, intertransversarii
What muscles will attach to lumbar superior articular process?
multifidis and intertransversarii
What ligament will attach to the lumbar superior articular process and transverse process?
mammillo-accessory ligament
What was believed to be entrapped by the mammillo-accessory ligament?
medial branch of the dorsal ramus of a lumbar spinal nerve
What is the joint classification for the typical lumbar zygapophysis?
synovial plane (diarthrosis arthrodia)
How many synovial joints are present on a typical lumbar vertebra?
four
What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in children?
lies in the coronal plane
What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in adults?
lies in the sagittal plane for L1/L2, L2/L3, L3/L4;
in the coronal plane for L4/L5, L5/S1
What is the name given to zygapophysis between vertebral couples that lie in the same plane?
joint symmetry
What names are given to the condition in which one zygapophysis of a vertebral couple lies in the coronal plane or position and the other zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane or position?
joint asymmetry or joint tropism
What is the name of the condition in which the typical lumbar spinous process increase in length due to the aging process?
Baastrup’s syndrome or “kissing spines”
What muscles will attach to the typical lumbar spinous process?
latissimus dorsi, serratus posterior inferior,
iliocostalis lumborum, longissiumus thoracis,
spinalis thoracis, multifidis, rotator longus, rotator brevis, interspinalis
What is the appearance of the fifth lumbar vertebral body from the lateral view?
anterior height is greater than posterior height by several millimeters;
it appears to form a wedge on lateral X-ray view
How many joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of the fifth lumbar?
six
How many synovial joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of the fifth lumbar?
none
How many cartilaginous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of L5?
two
How many fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of L5?
four
What muscle(s) attach to the L5 vertebral body?
psoas major
What is the orientation of the fifth lumbar superior articular facet?
backward, upward, medial (BUM);
typically concave
What is the orientation of the fifth lumbar inferior articular facet?
forward, lateral, downward (FoLD);
significant convexity
What is the name given to the congenital condition in which the fifth lumbar spinous process is elongated, the sacrum exhibits spina bifida, and dorsiflexion produces pain?
Knife Clasp Syndrome
What muscles will attach to the fifth lumbar spinous process?
latissiumus dorsi, iliocostalis lumborum, longissimus thoracis,
multifidis, rotator longus, rotator brevis, interspinalis
How many synovial joints are maximally observed at each lumbar vertebra?
L1-L5 = four each
How many joints are traditionally observed at each lumbar vertebral body?
L1-L5 = six each
What is the inferior articular facet orientation at each lumbar vertebra?
L1-L5 = forward, downward, lateral (FoLD)
