Thoracic Spine Flashcards
How many vertebraes are in the thoracic spine?
12
What is the thoracic kyphosis angle in thoracic spine?
20-40 degrees
How many attaching ribs are there to the thoracic spine?
12
How many spinal nerves are there in thoracic spine?
12
How many intervertebral discs are there in thoracic spine?
12
What are the 4 features of a typical thoracic spine vertebrae?
- Heart shaped vertebral body
- Demi facets
- Costal facets
- Long and inferiorly angles spinous process
What vertebrae are typical in thoracic spine?
T2-T9
What are the features of T1?
- Single pair of complete facets superiority to first rib
- Single pair of Demi- facets inferior to 2nd rib
- Long horizontal spinal process
What are the features of T9 ?
No inferior Demi facets
What are the features of T10?
One pair of complete facets on vertebral body
What are the key features of T11 and T12?
- One pair of complete facets rib 11&12
- No costal facet on transverse process - floating ribs
- Facet articular surface orienated more in Sagittal plane
Who said there was an increase vertebrae height except T4 & 5
Fletcher et Al 2005
Explain this thoracic discs?
- Discs increase in size as greater compressive load
Palpation tips for thoracic spine
- T2 superior angle of scapula
- T3 spine of scapula
- T7 inferior angle of scapular
What are the rule of thoracic spine?
Geelhoed rule 2006
Transfer process in line with spinous process of one above
What are the degree of movements In thoracic spine?
Rotation- 40
Lateral flexion - 10-12
Extension - 11-17
Flexion- 12-28
What are the coupled movements of thoracic spine?
- Rotation and lateral flexion
What by are the joints of the thoracic spine?
Zygapophyseal
Costotransvers T1-T10
What is the features of zygapophyseal joint?
- Small motion is available in all planes
- Ribs block excessive lateral flexion
- Medial inclination of joints and ribs affect movements of spine
What is the costovertebral joint?
- Synovial plane joint
- Supplied by thoracic dorsal rami C8-T11
- Rib 2-9 articulation between head of rib and superior costal facet of the corresponding vertebrae and inferior costal facet of vertebrae above
What are the ligaments in thoracic spine?
- Anterior longitudinal
- Posterior longitudinal
- Ligamentum flavum
- Interspinous
- Superspinous
What are the costal joint ligaments?
- Radiate ligament of head of the rib and then body of vertebrae
- Intra articular ligament of head of rib and IVD
What are the movements of the costoverebral joints
Gliding and rotation
- small movements of the costovertebral facet leads to big movements of the distal anterior stern end of rib
Explain the Costotransverse joints
- Synovial plane joint
- Supplied by posterior rami of C8-T11
- Articulation between the dorsal surface of the neck of the rib and the anterior surface of the transverse process of the vertebrae
What are the costotransverse Ligemnts
- Lateral- tubercle of rib, tip of TP
- Superior- neck of rib, TP above
- Out of view- posterior neck of rib, Anterior TP
What are the movements of the costotransverse joint
- Ribs 2-6 permit rotation only
2. Ribs 7-10 permit gliding and some rotation
What are true ribs?
Rib 1-7
Direct articulation to sternum
What are false ribs?
Rib 8-10
Indirect attachment to sternum through cartilage of adjacent rib above
What are floating ribs?
Rib 11 and 12
No direct or indirect to sternum
What are typical ribs?
Rib 3-9
Feature a hear, neck, tubercle and body
What are Atypical ribs?
1,2,10,12
What is the feature of rib 1?
Shortest Broadest Single facet Grooves A ridge
What are the features of rib 2?
Rough upper surface
Tuberosity
What are the features of rib 10?
Single facet
What are the features of rib 11 and 12?
Single facet
Short
No neck
No tubercle
