Vertebral Column

Question 1

what vertebrae does the SC travel through?

Answer 1

base of skull to about L2

Question 2

what developmental issue causes the need for long spinal nerves at the base of the SC?

Answer 2

vertebral column grows faster than SC so the SC is forced higher and nerve roots have to lengthen to get to their corresponding foramen

Question 3

what two sections of the SC have longer nerve roots?

Answer 3

lumbar and sacral/coccygeal

Question 4

what is the collection on nerve roots around L2 that hosts the nerve roots for the rest of the SC?

Answer 4

cauda equina

Question 5

what is the cauda equina?

Answer 5

collection of nerve roots in inferior portion of the SC

Question 6

what is the end of the SC called that tapers off?

Answer 6

conus medularis

Question 7

what is the filum terminale?

Answer 7

a vestigial remnant of the caudal spinal cord that was the tail

Question 8

what are the two portions of the filum terminale?

Answer 8

internal and external

Question 9

what is the role of the internal filum terminale? where does it extend to?

Answer 9

extends from conus medullaris to the dural sac

Question 10

what is the role of the external filum terminale? where does it extend to?

Answer 10

extends from tip of dural sac to sacrum/coccyx and helps anchor the SC

Question 11

where is the tip of the SC?

Answer 11

L1 or L2

Question 12

where are the two enlargements of the SC?

Answer 12

cervical and lumbosacral

Question 13

why are there enlargements of the SC at the cervical and lumbosacral places?

Answer 13

because there are extra neurons for innervation of the extremities

Question 14

how many cervical nerves are there?

Answer 14

8

Question 15

do cervical nerves traverse above or below their respective vertebral body?

Answer 15

superior to it

Question 16

where does C8 nerve travel through?

Answer 16

C7 and T1

Question 17

other than cervical nerves, where do other spinal nerves traverse their respective vertebra?

Answer 17

inferior to the body

Question 18

what is the name of the membranes that surround the SC?

Answer 18

spinal meninges

Question 19

name the three spinal meninges

Answer 19

dura mater
arachnoid mater
pia matter

Question 20

what is the outermost membrane of the SC?

Answer 20

dura mater

Question 21

what does the dura mater do to protect the spinal nerves as they go out of the SC?

Answer 21

extends laterally into the intervertebral foramina to form dorsal sleeves

Question 22

what is the intermediate layer of the membranes around the SC?

Answer 22

arachnoid mater

Question 23

what is the innermost layer of the spinal meninges?

Answer 23

pia mater

Question 24

where does CSF lye in the spinal meninges?

Answer 24

the subarachnoid space

Question 25

what are the denticulate ligaments? where do they originate from?

Answer 25

lateral extensions of the pia mater between dorsal and ventral roots

Question 26

what is the role of the denticulate ligaments?

Answer 26

help anchor the cord laterally

Question 27

what lies between the dura mater and the vertebral canal edges?

Answer 27

epidural space

Question 28

what is within the epidural space?

Answer 28

adipose tissue and internal venous plexus

Question 29

what are the two components that give arterial supply to the SC?

Answer 29

vertical/longitudinal and horizontal

Question 30

name the three vertical/longitudinal arteries

Answer 30

an anterior spinal artery | two posterior spinal arteries

Question 31

what arteries help communicate and feed the SC along with the vertical arteries?

Answer 31

segmental/horizontal

Question 32

how many segmental/medullary arteries are there?

Answer 32

about 8-10

Question 33

where do segmental arteries enter the SC?

Answer 33

intervertebral foramen

Question 34

name the largest segmental artery of the SC

Answer 34

great anterior segmental artery...artery of adamkiewicz

Question 35

the artery of adamkiewicz usually arise from what side? and supplies where on the SC?

Answer 35

arises from the left (intercostal artery) and supplies the inferior 2/3 of the SC

Question 36

describe the venous drainage into the internal epidural venous plexus

Answer 36

from both the anterior and posterior spinal veins into the epidural venous plexus

Question 37

what does the internal epidural plexus connect with? describe the flow

Answer 37

connects to the external venous plexus through the basivertebral veins..

Question 38

what do the basivertebral veins drain? where are they located?

Answer 38

drain the vertebrae...located in the body of vertebrae

Question 39

how are the interconnecting vertebral venous plexuses connected? what does this allow?

Answer 39

without valves...so blood can flow up or down

Question 40

what is another name for the interconnecting vertebral venous plexus

Answer 40

Batsons plexus

Question 41

what other sites doe batsons or vertebral venous plexus communicate blood with?

Answer 41

cranial cavity pelvic veins posterior thoracic wall

Question 42

what do the connections that Batsons plexus has allow for?

Answer 42

potentially metastes

Question 43

what three ligaments in order do you go through for a spinal tap?

Answer 43

supraspinous interspinous ligamentum flavum

Question 44

name the six tissues in order to get to the subarachnoid space

Answer 44

``` skin supraspinous ligament interspinous ligament ligamentum flavum epidural space dura mater arachnoid mater ```

Question 45

what does the posterior longitudinal ligament have that allows for herniated discs?

Answer 45

lateral portions that dont cover or support the entire part of the disc

Question 46

with a herniated disc, what portion of the disc is protruding?

Answer 46

nucleus pulposus

Question 47

where do disc herniations usually occur?

Answer 47

posterolaterally where anulus is think and poorly supported by the posterior longitudinal ligament

Question 48

what two sites do 95% of herniated discs occur at

Answer 48

L4/L5 and L5/S1

Question 49

if you have herniated disc at L4/L5, which nerve root will be impinged? what is this trend?

Answer 49

L5..anytime you have herniation between two vertebrae the higher number vertebrae will be the nerve that gets impinged