Practical 1 - station 3 - gross anatomy of the spinal cord Flashcards
Where does the spinal cord extend from and terminate at?
Foramen magnum to the L2 vertebra
Why does the spinal cord extend past the L2 vertebra at birth?
Vertebral column grows faster than the cord so cord ends up being higher up eventually once column has grown.
What is the conus medullaris?
Where the spinal cord tapers off at its caudal end at the L2 vertebra
What is the cauda equina?
The sacral region where spinal roots fan out to intervertebral foramen resembling a horse’s tail
What is the spinal cord surrounded by?
3 layers of meninges - dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater
What are the 3 meninges layers like?
Dura mater - tough outer layer, rich blood supply
Arachnoid mater - delicate middle, avascular, thin trabeculae extending towards spinal cord which become continuous with pia mater
Pia mater - inner layer firmly attached to spinal cord surface, follows contours/grooves/fissures of the spinal cord
Where do the arachnoid and dura mater extend to?
S2
What is the filum terminale?
Extension of the pia mater which is attached to the coccygeal segments and suspends CSF
What is the real space of the meninges?
Subarachnoid space - between arachnoid and pia and is CSF filled,
What are the denticulate ligaments?
Only part of the pia mater that you can identify as distinct membrane, allow protective mechanical function of the cord, between cord surface and dura
Where are the enlargements of the spinal cord?
Cervical enlargement due to brachial plexus
Lumbar enlargement due to lumbosacral plexus
What is the epidural space?
Space between the dura mater and the vertebral ligaments
What does epidural space contain?
Connective tissue, fat, internal vertebral venous plexus
What is the subarachnoid space?
Between the sub-arachnoid mater and the pia mater
What does the subarachnoid space contain?
CSF
