Objectives Flashcards
What is the part of the pia mater that secures the cord to the upper portion of the coccyx.
Filum terminale
Name characteristics and anatomical structures of the ligamentum flavum
It connects the lamina of adjacent vertebrae. Also known as the “yellow ligament”. It is tough and elastic. Small vessels from the vertebral plexuses penetrate it and may cause a bit of blood to enter the syringe.
What is the part of the spinal cord that is made up of the lumbar and sacral roots that extends past L1-L2
Cauda Equina
What is the space between dura and ligaments of the vertebrae that contains adipose tissue and blood vessels, and Extends from skull to the sacral hiatus?
epidural space
Where is the epidural space widest and narrowest?
Widest at L2 (5-6 mm) Narrowest at C5 (1 -1.5 mm)
What structures can be found in the epidural space?
Lymphatic vessels, Small arteries and veins (together these form a plexus), and Fatty tissues
What are the Strong ligaments that interconnect the tips of the spines from the axis down to the sacrum.
Supraspinous ligaments
What are the thin membranes that fill the intervals from spine to spine and from the deep ligamentum flavum to the supraspinal ligaments superficially?
Interspinous Ligaments.
Name the structures a spinal needle passes through external to internal Skin
Skin —►subQ —► supraspinous lig. —► interspinous ligament —► ligamentum flavum—► Epidural space—►Dura mater—►Arachnoid mater—►access to CSF
At what levels in adults and infants are SAB’s not performed above?
SABs are not performed above L2 in an adult. SAB’s are not performed above L4 in infants
What is the specific site of deposition of local anesthetic for a SAB?
The suparachnoid space (between the arachnoid mater and pia mater
Where does the spinal cord ends for both children and adults?
The spinal cord ends at L3 in infants. After age 1, the cord ends at L1 or L2.
How many spinal nerves are there?
31
At each vertebral segment the dorsal root and the ventral root form what structure?
Spinal nerve
What is the space formed when the 5th sacral laminae do not fuse at the midline creating a “V” shape? 5% of adults do not have this space?
Sacral hiatus
What spinal nerve levels correlate with the perineum?
S2-S5
What is the large round mass of a vertebra; it forms the anterior aspect of the vertebra.
Vertebral bodies
What is the bridge of bone extending from the posterior aspect of the body.
pedicle
What are the flat plates of bone extending from the pedicles that fuse with each other in the median plane.
laminae
What are the two processes that project laterally from the junction of a lamina and a pedicle.
Transverse processes
What is the single process that projects posteriorly from each vertebral arch at the junction of the two laminae.
Spinous Process
What are the two processes that project inferiorly posterior to the transverse process, which articulate with the superior articular process of the infrajacent vertebra.
Inferior articular processes
What are the two processes that project posterior to the transverse processes, which articulate with the inferior articular process of the suprajacent vertebra.
Superior articular processes
What is the space between the adjacent spinous processes of the vertebrae that are triangular in shape and nerve roots exit?
Interlaminar Foramen
What helps open the interlaminar foramen?
When the patient is flexed.
Where does the spinal cord begin and end?
begins at foramen magnum and ends as conus medullar is (L3 at birth, L1 adult)
What roots are the afferent and efferent nerves found in?
Afferent in the dorsal Efferent in the ventral
Where is the spinal cord thickest at?
Thickest at the cervical and lumbar regions.
What is the Tough, outer membrane that Extends from foramen magnum to S2 and then continues to cover the filum terminale?
Dura Mater
What is the potential space between the dura mater and arachnoid mater
subdural space
What is the thin, avascular, middle covering closely attached to the dura mater on the inner surface?
Arachnoid mater
What is found right beneath the arachnoid mater?
CSF
What is the delicate highly vascular membrane closely attached to cord and brain?
Pia mater
What are the lateral projections of the pia mater that attach to the dura and support the cord?
denticulate ligaments
What arises form the vertebrals and supply the posterior cord and anterior 1/3 of the cord
posterior spinal arteries (2 of them)
What supplies tbe spinal nerve roots and enters every intervertebral foramen.
Radicular arteries
What arises from the the vertebral arteries and supplies the anterior 2/3 of the cord?
Anterior spinal artery (1)
What other arteries join in further down the cord to help supply the anterior spinal artery
Several arteries from the subclavian and aorta, cervical and thoracic radicular arteries, Radicularis Magna and Artery of Adamkiewicz