spinal cord Flashcards
Where does the adult SC end?
L1-L2 VERTEBRAL level
What makes up the cauda equina?
ventral and dorsal nerve roots
Where does the spinal cord start?
foramen magnum
Cauda Equina Syndrome
interruption of the cauda equina below L2 due to pressure or trauma/tumor - can include urine or fecal incontinence with saddle numbness.
Always ask pt w/ chronic backpain or trauma if they have touble peeing or saddle numbness
Why is there no C1 dermatome?
b/c dermatomes are sensory fibers and C1 is only motor
in what cross section would you find a large ventral horn?
in the lumbar enlargement which supplies the lower limb
What is the outermost covering of the spinal cord?
pia mater
denticulate ligaments
pierce arachnoid and anchor dura to stabilize the cord laterally (made of pia mater)
What space houses the CSF?
subarachnoid space
What two sctructures in the SC are made of pia mater?
filum terminale and denticulate ligaments
What were the primary and secondary curvatures of the vertebral canal?
primary: thoracic and sacral/coccygeal (kyphosis)
secondary: cervical and lumbar (lordosis)
What space is a lumbar puncture performed in?
the lumbar cestern aka subarachnoid space
How do you find the lumbar cistern?
in line w/ iliac crest, b/w L3 and L4
