Spine Flashcards
Table comparing different vertebrae
Features of Cervical vertebra (Body/Foramen/Transverse and spinous process)
Body: small and oval
Foramen: triangular
Transverse process: foramen for vertebral arteries
Spinous process: fork shaped (ligamentum nuchae). C1 lacks spinous process
Features of Thoracic vertebra (Body/Foramen/Transverse and spinous process)
Body: heart shaped body. has costal facets
Foramen: circular
Transverse process: facet for tubercle of the rib articulation
Spinous process: inferiorly pointed
Features of Lumbar vertebra (Body/Foramen/Transverse and spinous process)
Body: large kidney shaped
Foramen: flattened triangular
Transverse process: short no foramen or facets
Spinous process: thick posteriorly pointed
Joints between vertebra and ribs
Costovertebral joint and costotransverse joints
The head of the rib interacts with the same level vertebra as well as the one above (except T1, T11 and T12 interacting with one vertebra only)
The tubercle of the rib interacts with the same level vertebra
Costovertebral vs costotransverse joints
Costovertebral: head of the rib + superior facet
Costotransverse joint: tubercle of the rib to transverse facet
Atlas and Axis features
Dens placed anteriorly in atlas (C1): kept in with transverse ligament of atlas
C1 doesn’t have spinous process
Lamina and pedicle
Pedicle: foot in latin, links body to transverse process
Lamina: links transverse process to spinous process
Types of joints (movablity)
Fibrous: sutures (fixed)
Cartilaginous: semi movable
Synovial: freely movable
Examples of fibrous joints
Sutures
Gomphoses (teeth to mandible)
Syndesomosis (eg ulna and radius)
Examples of cartilaginous joints
Synchondroses (bones joined with hyaline cartilage): growth plate eventually ossifies
Symphyses (bones joined with fibrocartilage)
Types of synovial joints
6
Ball and socket
Hinge
Condyloid
Plane
Saddle
Pivot
Structures encountered for lumbar puncture superficial to deep
Skin
Superficial and deep fascia
Supraspinous lig
Interspinous lig
Flavum lig
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Shouldnt go passed this point but if do the following
Post longitudinal
Ant longitudinal
Vertebral discs composition
Nucleus pulposis (gelatinous matrix)
Annulus fibrosis
What structure affected with disc prolapse
Annular fibrosis tear allows nucleus pulposis leak
This could compress spinal routes or cord (usually roots as tears eccentrically)