The Back

Question 1

What nerve and artery supplies the trapezius?

Answer 1

11th Cranial Nerve (spinal accessory nerve) and Transverse Cervical artery

Question 2

What nerve and artery supplies the latissimus dorsi?

Answer 2

Thoracodorsal nerve and artery

Question 3

What does the dorsal scapular nerve supply?

Answer 3

Levator scapulae, rhomboid minor and Rhomboid Major

Question 4

What is the serratus anterior supplied by?

Answer 4

Lateral thoracic artery and long thoracic nerve

Question 5

Injury of long thoracic nerve leads to…

Answer 5

winging of the scapula (medial border of scapula is no more in contact with the chest wall) …can happen in breast surgery

Question 6

What composes the erector spinae?

Answer 6

Spinalis, Longissimus, iliocostalis

Question 7

What does the serratus anterior do?

Answer 7

The whole muscle protracts the scapula forwards, so of value in all reaching and pushing movement, swimming, boxing. Boxer’s muscle

Question 8

What nerve innervates the levator scapulae?

Answer 8

ventral rami of C3 and C4 and dorsal scapular nerve

Question 9

What supplies the Rhomboid Major and minor?

Answer 9

Dorsal scapular nerve

Question 10

What supplies the serratus posterior inferior and superior?

Answer 10

ventral rami of upper thoracic nerves

Question 11

Extrinsic Muscles: Superficial group

Answer 11

upper limb movement.
Layer 1: trapezius and latissimus dorsi
Layer 2: Rhomboid Major and Minor, Levator scapulae

Question 12

Intrinsic muscles: superficial layer

Answer 12

splenius muscles (capitis & cervicis)

Question 13

Intrinsic muscles: deep layer

Answer 13

paravertebral muscles (semispinalis, multifidus, rotatores)

Question 14

Latissimus dorsi and trapezius share in the …

Answer 14

triangle of auscultation

Question 15

What physiological role does the latissimus dorsi play?

Answer 15

role in expiratory efforts as in coughing and sneezing

Question 16

What is the insertion of the serratus anterior?

Answer 16

into the ventral aspect of the medial border of scapula

Question 17

What is the long thoracic nerve?

Answer 17

branch out of the roots of the brachial plexus (C5, 6, 7)

Question 18

What is the foramen transversarium?

Answer 18

Cervical vertebrae. Apertures that exist in transverse processes of cervical vertebrae only and transmit the vertebral vessels

Question 19

Describe Atlas (C1) (special features for the cervical vertebrae)

Answer 19

has no vertebral body or spinous process.
articulates with the head. As it lacks vertebral body, looks like a ring. composed of two lateral masses interconnected by an anterior arch and posterior arch.

Question 20

What do the lateral masses of the Atlas C1 articulate with above and below?

Answer 20

above with an occipital condyle of the skull (atlanto-occipital joint)
below with the superior articular process of axis (atlanto-axial joint)

Question 21

Describe Axis (C2)

Answer 21

odontoid process (Dens) which is the body of atlas. Has a strong bifid spinous process

Question 22

Describe C7 (vertebra prominens)

Answer 22

long, non-bifid spinous process

Question 23

Atlanto-occipital joint

Answer 23

“yes-yes joint” nodding…flexion and extension (Atlas C1)

Question 24

Describe dens.

Answer 24

acts as a pivot. allows head to rotate side to side at atlanto-axial joints (no no joints/rotation)

Question 25

What is the suboccipital nerve?

Answer 25

dorsal ramus of C1. innervates suboccipital muscles

Question 26

Describe origin and insertion for rectus capitis posterior major.

Answer 26

origin: spinous process of vertebra C2
insertion: lateral part of inferior nuchal line of occipital bone

Question 27

Describe origin and insertion for Rectus capitis posterior minor

Answer 27

Origin: posterior tubercle of posterior arch of vertebra C1 (atlas)
Insertion: Medial part of inferior nuchal line of occipital bone

Question 28

Describe origin and insertion for Obliquus capitis inferior

Answer 28

Origin: posterior tubercle of posterior arch of vertebra C2 (axis)
Insertion: transverse process of vertebra C1 (atlas)

Question 29

Describe origin and insertion for Obliquus capitis superior.

Answer 29

Occipital bone between superior and inferior nuchal lines

Question 30

Describe the boundaries of the suboccipital triangle:
Superomedial:
Superolateral:
Inferior:
Roof:
Floor:

Answer 30

Superomedial: rectus capitis posterior major
Superolateral: obliquus superior
Inferior: obliquus inferior
Roof: semispinalis capitis
Floor: posterior arch of Atlas

Question 31

Describe the 2 structures (artery and nerve) within the floor of the suboccipital triangle.

Answer 31

vertebral artery and suboccipital nerve

Question 32

Describe the components of the suboccipital triangle.

Answer 32

Rectus C.P. Minor, Rectus C.P. Major, Obliquus C. Inferior, Obliquus C. Superior

Question 33

Describe the 2 structures (artery and nerve) within the roof of the suboccipital triangle.

Answer 33

occipital artery and greater occipital nerve

Question 34

Describe the suboccipital nerve

Answer 34

dorsal ramus of C1

purely Motor

Question 35

Describe the greater occipital nerve

Answer 35

dorsal ramus of C2

purely sensory

Question 36

What does the suboccipital nerve supply?

Answer 36

Supplies the 4 suboccipital muscles and the semispinalis capitis

Question 37

What does the greater occipital nerve supply and where does it appear?

Answer 37

appears at the lower border of inferior oblique, pierces semispinalis capitis and trapezius to supply the scalp up to the vertex

Question 38

What is the vertebral artery?

Answer 38

a branch of the subclavian artery

Question 39

What is the occipital artery?

Answer 39

A branch of external carotid artery (ECA)