Vertebral column Flashcards
Number of vertebrae in each section
Cervcial- 7 Thoracic-12 Lumbar- 5 Sacral- 5 fused Coccygeal- 4
Curvatures of the spine
Primary- same direction as foetal- Thoracic and sacral
Secondary- opposite to foetal -Cervical and lumbar
Typical features of a vertebrae
Vertebral body
Vertebral arch
Pedicle joins them
Lamina
Articular process- visible.on the side- can be rotated sideways- superior articulates with inferior articulate process of superior vertebrae
Intervertebral discs
Water filled structures with cartilage/collagen rings around them and gel in the middle
Allow flexibility
Features of different type of vertebrae
Cervical- Foramen transversarium
Rectangular bodies
Bifid spinous process
Thoracic- heart shaped body
Long downward pointing spinous process
Lumbar- large kidney shaped body
Short blunt spinous process
Features of atlas
No vertebral body
No spinous process
Features of axis
Dens of axis on top of vertebral body
Ligaments of atlas and axis
- ALAR LIGAMENTS: come from the underside of the skull, across to the odontoid peg (dens)
- CRUCIATE LIGAMENT: Goes from the skull down to the C2 vertebra, and across from the C2 to the other side
- Anterior to dens
Joints of axis, atlas and the skull
- ATLANTO-OCCIPITAL JOINT: between skull and C1 – the ‘yes’ joint – allows nodding – Flexion/extension
- ATLANTO-AXIAL JOINT: between C1 and C2 – the ‘no’ joint – allows rotation (odontoid peg)
Ligaments in the vertebral column
Supraspinous
Intraspinous
Ligamentum flavum
Anterior and posterior longitudinal
Impact of height of the intervertebral disc
If height is reduced too much
Nerves emerging from foramina are impinged- resulting in pain, weakness, changes in sensation and paraesthesia
Where nerves emerge relative to the vertebra
Cervical emerge above vertebrae- except C8
Rest emerge below vertebrae
Discrepancy between growth of vertebral column and spinal cord
Column grows at greater rate
Point at which nerves emerge from spine get progressively further from where they exit the spinal cord
Below L2 no spinal cord- bundle of nerves- caudal equina
Use of caudal equina
Give spinal anaesthetic
Take CSF- lumbar punture
Prolapsed disc
Disc can rupture and the contents can emerge into the space occupied by nerve or spinal cord- causing pain and paraesthesia
Movements of the spine
Extension and flexion
Lateral flexion
Rotation
Muscles aiding movement of spine
Oblique
Rectus abdominus
Transverse abdominus
Spinal nerve origin and what each rami suplly
Ventral horn/root contains motor neurones and the dorsal contains sensory
These then form a spinal nerve with an anterior and posterior ramus
Anterior- supplies limbs and abdominal wall
Posterior– innervates intrinsic muscles of back
Dura mater in the caudal equina
Dura mater and arachnoid mater travel further down the vertebral column than the spinal cord
The pia mater is adherent to the spinal cord – it ends essentially surrounding the spinal cord at L2
*A small filament extends down from the base of the spinal cord – the filum terminale
Where spinal and epidural anaesthetic are given
Epidural- outside dura
Spinal- subarachnoid space
Both at caudal equina
Epidural space
Space between dura mater and vertebral column
Created since the periosteal layer isn’t in the vertebral column
Superficial extrinsic muscles of the back
- Trapezius
- Latissimus dorsi
- Levator scapulae
- The rhomboids
Blood supply of spinal cord
1 anterior spinal artery
2 posterior spinal arteries
Aorta gives intercostal which branches to radicular (travel across spinal nerves)- which supplies spinal arteries - these travel down the spinal cord
