Skull and Cervical Spine Flashcards
How many bones are there in the skull
22 (28 including ossicles)
What are the parts of the neurocranium
- Calvaria
- Cranial base
What are the bones of the neurocranium
- Frontal
- x2 Parietal
- Occipital
- Sphenoid
- x2 temporal
- Ethmoid
Where is the pterion
4cm superior to midpoint of zygomatic arch and 3cm posterior to frontal process of zygomatic bone
What are the sutures of the skull
- Coronal
- Sagittal
- Lambdoid
What are fontanelles
- Moulding of cranial shape during birth
- Post-natal growth of brain
What are sutures
- Structurally, are a type of fibrous joint
- Functionally, limited or no movement (synarthrosis)
When do the fontanelles fuse
- Anterior fuses at 18 months
- Posterior fuses at 6-9 months
What is the bregma
Remnant of anterior fontanelle
What is the asterion
Where the occipital, parietal and temporal bones fuse
Describe the sphenopalatine foramen
Connects pteryopalatine fossa with nasal cavity
What are the fossa of the cranial base
- Anterior
- Middle
- Posterior
What bones make up the anterior cranial fossa
- Frontal
- Ethmoid
- Sphenoid
Where does the pituitary gland sit
In the hypophyseal fossa
Describe the temporomandibular joint
- Atypical synovial joint
- Fibfrocartilaginous articular disc separates the joint into superior and inferior cavities
- Intrinsically unstable joint
What is the most common dislocation of the TMJ
Anterior
How many ligaments are associated with the TMJ
- 2 extrinsic and 1 intrinsic
- Connect mandible to cranium
What are the ligaments associated with the TMJ
- Sphenomandibular ligament= primary passive support of mandible
- Lateral ligament= strengthens TMJ laterally, and with postglenoid tubercle prevents posterior dislocation
- Stylomandibular joint
Why is the mandible most unstable during depression
- Condylar processes move anteriorly and lie underneath the articular eminences
- Mandibular head is then vulnerable to anterior dislocation into the infra temporal fossa
Most common direction for nucleus pulposus dislocation
Posterolaterally
Describe the intervertebral joint
- Secondary cartilaginous joint
- Hyaline cartilage on endplates
Describe the facet joint (zygopophysial)
- Synovial joint
- Hyaline cartilage
- Supported by ligamentum flavum
What does the suprasinous ligament become
Ligamentum nuchae
Describe the pretrachael space
- Found between investing layer and pretracheal fascia
- Area extends between neck and superior mediastinum
