Session 6: Cervical and Thoracic Spine Flashcards
How are the seven cervical vertebrae classified?
Atypical cervical vertebrae
Typical cervical vertebrae
What are the atypical cervical vertebrae?
C1, C2 and C7
What are the typical cervical vertebrae?
C3-C6
Give the key features of typical cervical vertebrae.
Small body and broad from side to side
Large triangular vertebral foramen
Bifid spinous process (except for C7)
Transverse foramen in the transverse process.
Articular facets that are orientated in the coronal plane and at a 45 degree angle to the axial plane
What goes through the transverse foramina?
Vertebral artery and vein and sympathetic nerve plexus
Which is the widest cervical vertebra?
The atlas (C1)
What does the superior articular facets of the atlas (C1) articulate with? What is the joint called?
The occipital condyles of the skull. This is called the Atlanto-occipital joint.
What does the inferior articular facets of the atlas (C1) articulate with? What is the joint called?
The superior articular facets of the C2.
What movement does the Atlanto-occipital joint allow?
Permits nodding of head and contributes 50% of the total range of flexion and extension of the head and neck.
What movement does the Atlanto-axial joint allow?
Contributes to 50% of the total rotation of the head and neck.
What is the odontoid process?
Aka dens or odontoid peg.
Projects vertically upwards from the body of the axis. Vestigial remnant of the body of C1.
Held in place by the transverse ligament of the atlas and acts as a pivot joint. Key component to allow us to rotate our heads.
Apical ligament attaches between the odontoid process and the base of the skull superiorly.
What is the ligament called that is responsible for shaking your head?
The transverse ligament.
What is atlantoaxial instability?
Excessive movement between the C1 and C2 vertebrae.
What are the most common causes of atlantoaxial instability?
Acute trauma
Degenerative changes in rheumatoid arthritis.
Explain the features of C7.
It is also called vertebra prominens.
Longest spinous process.
Not bifid
Small transverse foramina
Why are the small transverse foramina relevant in C7?
Because they only transmit the accessory vertebral veins and not the vertebral arteries.
Where do the spinal nerves run?
Passes posterior to the vertebral artery which ascends through the foramina transversaria in C1-C6.
Does the C3 spinal nerve pass superior or inferior to the C3 vertebra?
Superior
What nerve root would be compressed in a disc prolapse in the cervical region?
Since there is no tranvsersing nerve root in the cervical spine the exiting nerve root would usually be compressed instead.
What is the ligamentum nuchae? What is it attached to?
A thickening of the supraspinous ligament.
External occipital protuberance
Spinous processes of all cervical vertebrae
Spinous process of C7
What are the roles of the ligamentum nuchae?
Maintain secondary curvature (lordosis) of the cervical spine.
Assist the cervical spine to support weight of the head
A major site of attachment of the muscles in the neck and trunk.
What is the function of anterior longitudinal ligament?
To prevent hyperextension of the vertebral column.
What is function of the posterior longitudinal ligament?
Prevents hyperflexion of the vertebral column
What is the main clinical relevance of the posterior longitudinal ligament?
That intervertebral disc prolapses tend to occur lateral to it.
What do the costal facets of the transverse processes of the thoracic vertebrae articulate with?
Are there any exceptions?
With the neck of the ribs
T11 and T12 don’t.
What is the orientation of the articular facets?
20 degrees in the coronal plane and 60 degrees in the axial plane.
Why does the thoracic spine have limited flexibility compared to cervical and lumbar region?
Because it is connected to the rib cage.
What do the superior costal facets articulate with?
The head of the ribs