Spinal Cord Flashcards
In a laminectomy, what parts of the vertebrae have been removed to open up the spinal canal?
Spinous process and lamina
What muscles overlies the spinous process and lamina?
Erector spinal
What ligaments might be encountered in a laminectomy?
Intervertebral flavour and supraspinous ligaments
What other structures apart from the spinal cord and the meninges lie in the spinal canal?
Blood vessels
At vertebral levels the spinal cord end in an adult?
L1/2
At vertebral levels the spinal cord end in a child?
L2/3
At what vertebral level does the dura mater terminate?
L2
At what vertebral level does the arachnoid terminate?
S2
What happens to the Pia mater inferior to the spinal cord?
Continues are filum terminale
What occupies the space between the end of the spinal cord and the termination of the dura and arachnoid and what is the clinical significance of this?
CSF - space where spinal cord ends, proving space for lumbar punctures without damaging spinal cord
At what vertebral level would you perform a lumbar puncture on an adult and how would you position them?
L3/4 and in the foetal position to separate spinous processes
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?
31
Describe the damage to a spinal nerve
Depends where is occurs:
Upper motor neurone - from primary motor cortex (area 4) to ventral horn
Lower motor neurone - from ventral horn to periphery
How are UMN lesions characterised?
Spasticity, and increase in muscle tone and complex sensory syndromes
How are LMN lesions characterised?
Global sensory changes and or flaccid paralysis depending on nature of the mixed peripheral nerves
