Vertebral Column Flashcards
What is Dowenger’s hump?
Dowenger’s hump is a kyphosis. It is an exaggerated rounding of the back. This is generally seen higher up when compared to lordosis, which affects the lumbar region of the spine
What is lordosis?
Lordosis is convex curvature in the lumbar region of the back.
What is Spondylolisthesis?
It is when a spine is displaced and slips onto the part below it. The example we learned in class is if the 5th lumbar column slips out of place and onto the sacrum.
Spondylolysis is the breaking off of the articular process.
Spondylolisthesis is the body of the spine slipping out of position.
This can compress spinal nerves -> pain.
it can also interfere with child birth.
What are the first and second cervical vertebrae? anything notable about them?
The atlas is the first cervical vertebra, and it is the more simple looking one.
The axis is the second cervical vertebra and it looks more complex because it has the dens. The dens occupies the area of the body of the atlas.
What is the transverse foramen? What vertebrae have it?
The transverse foramen is where the vertebral artery goes through.
All the cervical vertebrae have a transverse foramen, however even though the seventh cervical vertebra does have a transverse foramen, the vertebral artery does not pass through it. So the vertebral artery goes through only the first sixth cervical vertebra.
The vertebral artery is important because it supplies brain stem…. so its very important.
What is special about the 7th cervical vertebra?
It has the vertebra prominens (or spinous process). This is the one that sticks out most when you see it on someone leaning over.
What is the erector spinae?
This is composed of the three deep back muscles.
What nerve supplies the erector spinae?
The dorsal rami of spinal nerves. (remember how the dorsal ramus pretty much only supplies the deep back)
What is the epidural space? What can be found there?
The epidural space is outside the dura, between the dura and the bone in the vertebral canal.
Inside the epidural space is epidural fat as well as the vertebral plexus of veins.
The vertebral plexus of veins then connects with other veins via the intervertebral foramen.
What is the intervertebral foramen?
This is the space where the vertebral plexus of veins interacts/goes to veins outside the spine.
What are denticulate ligaments?
These are extensions of pia matter that pierce through the arachnoid matter and attach to the dura matter.
What happens to the spinal cord around the second lumbar vertebrae?
The spinal cord starts to “end” and fray off into tons of string like extensions.
At the “end’ this is called the conus medullaris.
From the conus medulalaris, there are the cauda equina that come off that look like the horse tail.
Also the internal medullary filum comes off as an extension of the pia, which eventually turns into the external medullary filum, which is an extension of pia/arachnoid/dura that attaches to the coccyx.
What is the cauda equina?
Looks like a horse tail. These are extensions that come off the conus medullaris.
When performing a spinal tap it is usually done caudally (below L2) near the cauda equina, becuase generally here when you go in with a needle you have a low chance of puncturing anything.
When doing a spinal tap, where should it be done and why?
It should be done lower than L2.
This is because anywhere higher has the presence of the spinal cord, which means there is risk of puncturing or damaging the spinal cord.
Below L2 is past the conus medullaris and where the cauda equina are, which are much less likely to be punctured by a needle.
What is the internal medullary filum? (filum terminale)
It is an extension of pia from the conus medullaris. it eventually fuses with the arachnoid and dura matter and becomes the external medullary filum. This fusion usually occurs at S2
