Vertebral Column Flashcards
- Which bones are supported by the vertebral column?
- Head
- Ribs
- Upper limb (indirectly)
- Articulates with hip bones (hip bones take most of the weight)
What are the gross functions of the vertebral column?
- Centre of gravity of body
- Attachments for bones
- Attachments for trunk muscles
- Protection and passage for spinal cord
- Segmental innervation of the body
- How does the vertebral column allow for protection and passage of the spinal-cord?
- Acts as conduit for nerve fibres to pass efferent and afferents
- Allows segmental nerves to leave or join cord
- Neuronal assembly in the form of the spinal cord
What are the normal curvatures in a human vertebral column?
- 2 primary: anterior concave C shaped curves
- 2 secondary: cervical and lumbar curvatures, posteriorly
What are the sections of the vertebral column in descending order?
- Cervical
- Thoracic
- Lumbar
- Sacral
How many vertebrae are there in the vertebral column?
- 33
- 24 can move individually
- 5 fuse to form sacrum
- 4 fuse to form coccyx
What is the role of the vertebral body?
- Main site of contact between adjacent vertebrae
- Linked via intervertebral discs
What is the vertebral body lined with?
- Hyaline cartilage
What are the bony landmarks of the vertebral arch and where are they situated?
- Spinous process: midline and posterior
- Transverse process: laterally, one on each side of midline
- Pedicle: between ventral body and transverse process
- Lamina: between transverse and spinous processes
What is the role of the articular process found on the vertebrae?
- Allows synovial joints to be formed between neural arches of adjacent vertebrae
What is the intervertebral disc what is also known as and what is its role?
- Secondary cartilaginous joints between vertebral bodies
- Symphises
- Allows for flexibility and shock absorbency
What are the two main regions of the intervertebral disc?
- Nucleus pulposus (central)
- Annulus fibrosis (peripheral)
Which part of the intervertebral disc is the main shock absorber and the main strength?
- Annulus fibrosis
What best describes the nucleus pulposus?
- Jelly
- High osmotic pressure
- Acts as a water reservoir
What is a ‘slipped disc’?
- When the nucleus pulposus herniates through the annulus fibrosis if there’s degeneration
What can degeneration of the nucleus pulposus lead to?
- Osteoarthritis of joints leading to congestion of intervertebral foramen and compression of segmental nerves
- Nucleus pulposus degenerates with age leading to a decrease in height of the IV disc increasing the stress on facet joints
What happens during degenerative annular disease?
- Marginal osteophytosis at end plates
- Height of disc is largely preserved
What are the two main ligaments in the vertebral column and what do they do?
- Anterior longitudinal ligament
- Posterior longitudinal ligament
- Strap vertebrae and intervertebral discs together
What is the specific role of the anterior longitudinal ligament and where does it originate and insert and it’s shape?
- Flat band that broadens as passes downwards
- Extends from anterior tubercle of atlas to front of upper part of sacrum
- Prevents over-extension of vertebral column
What does the posterior longitudinal ligament look like, it’s role and it’s origin and insertion?
- Extends from 2nd cervical vertebrae to canal of sacrum
- Gradually narrows as passes downwards
- Narrows as passes over vertebral bodies
- Provides support and prevents excess flexion
What are the other ligaments present on the vertebral column and what do they do?
- Supraspinous: connects tips of spinous process
- Intertransverse: connects tips of transverse process
- Ligamentum flavum: connects laminae of adjacent vertebrae
- Ligament nuchae: major site of attachment of neck and trunk muscles
What does the atlas articulate with?
- Skull above and axis below
What are the characteristics of the atlas?
- Lacks body and spinous process
- Widest cervical vertebrae
What are the characteristics of the axis?
- Strongest cervical vertebrae
- Dens prevents horizontal displacement of atlas
