Cervical Functional Anatomy Flashcards
what are the two types of ossification centres
First ossification begins in the fetus, and is complete around 1yr in the Cx and 6 in Lx
Second ossification begins in puberty and is usually complete by 25 yrs
How are vertebrae formed
they are formed through endochondral ossification (cartillage first)
3 primary centres
- 1 x centrum
- 2 x vertebral arches
5 secondary centres
- 1 x spinous process
- 2 x transverse process
- 2 x annular epiphyses
What is a typical structure of a Cx vertebrae
C3 - 6 are considered typical vertebrae
- Bifid spinous processes,
- Large triangle-shaped foramen
- Transverse process that has anterior and posterior tubercles
- Superior articular process ( direction is sup and post)
- Inferior articular process ( direction is inf and ant)
What are the atypical vertebrae in the Cx
C7, C1 and C2
what is atypical about C7?
- Its vertebrae body is larger
- The spinous process is NOT bifid rather it’s long and slender
- Transverse processes have smaller transverse foramen ( only contains the vertebral vein)
What is atypical about C1 (Atlas)?
Things that are absent
- Vertebral body
- Spinous process
- Articulate processes
Different features
- Anterior tubercle
- Facet for the dens (posterior surface)
- Posterior groove for the vertebral artery
- Superior facet on lateral mass that is concave
- Inferior facet on the lateral mass directly inferior to the superior facet
what different about C2 (axis)?
- Vertebral body has a superior projection called the odontoid process ( DENS)
- Superior articulating facets are directed superiorly to support C1 - atlas.
What is the hyoid bone structure and function?
It is a “U” shaped bone that doesn’t articulate with another bone. it provides muscles attachments for the tongue and muscles involved with swallowing.
- The body is the ‘U” shape
- Great horn is the large boney structures that project posterosuperior and laterally from the body
- Lesser horn is a small boney projection located at the union of the greater horn and the bod.
- it is suspsened from the styloid process of the temporal bone by the stylohyoid ligaments, which inserts on the lesser horn.
What are the ligaments that connect the vertebral together
- Ligamentum flavum - unites adjacent lamina
- Intertransverse ligaments
- Interspinous ligament
- Supraspinous ligament
- Nuchal ligament ( enlargement of the supraspinous ligament, only present in Cx)
What are the different joint in the Cx
- Zygopophseal (facet) joint
- Uncovertebral joint (luschka)
- Atlanto-Occipital joint (AO)
- Antlanto-Axial Joint (AA)
What vertebral is the IVD (Inter Vertebral Discs) absent
C1 and C2
What are the 4 layers of the deep fascia
- Investing layer
- Pretracheal layer
- Prevertebral layer
- Carotid sheath
What is contained in the Investing layer
the investing layer surrounds the entire neck, deep to the superficial fascia. It encloses the traps and SCM muscles.
Where is the pretracheal layer?
- It is only present in the anterior part of the neck
- Extends from the hyoid bone to pericardium (fibrous covering the heart )
- Thin muscle part encloses the infrahyoid muscles
- Viseral part encloses, thyroid gland, trachea and oesophagus
what is this the prevertebral layer
- Forms a tubular sheath for the vertebral column and the muscles associated with it.
