Deep Back Flashcards
(85 cards)
Vertebral canal
Canal formed by vertebral foramina of vertebral bodies
- Houses spinal cord
Vertebral foramen
Hole formed by vertebral arch + posterior surface of vertebral body
Intervertebral foramen
Hole formed by superior + inferior notches of adjacent vertebrae
- Passage for spinal nerve roots + vessels
Epidural space
Extradural space separating dura mater from vertebrae
- Location for epidural anesthesia (epidurals)
- Filled with epidural fat + vessels
Dura mater spinalis
Outermost cover of spinal cord
- Tough, fibrous, elastic tissue
- Pierced by spinal nerves
- Forms spinal dural sac starting from margin of foramen magnum + adheres to coccyx by filum terminale externum
Arachnoid mater spinalis
Middle cover of spinal cord
- Delicate, fibrous, elastic
- Encloses CSF in subarachnoid space
- Not attached to DMS but pressed tightly against it by pressure from CSF
- Lumbar puncture occurs in subarachnoid space
- Dura-arachnoid space is not really a space but rather a weak cell layer
Pia mater spinalis
Innermost cover of spinal cord
- Consists of flattened cells w/ long equally flattened processes that closely follow all surface features of SC
- Also directly covers all roots of spinal nerves + blood vessels
- Inferior to conus medullaris, continues as filum terminale
Conus medullaris
Tapered end of spinal cord
- Typically L1-L2
- High as T12
- Low as L3
Cauda equina
Bundle of spinal nerve roots below conus medullaris
*Resembles horsetail
Filum terminale
Extends from conus medullaris + anchors spinal cord + dural sac
- Consists primarily of pia mater
- Internum: Inside dural sac
- Externum: Outside dural sac (takes on layers of arachnoid + dura)
Denticulate ligaments
Extension of pia mater midway on either side that suspends spinal cord in dural sac
*Runs longitudinally along either side of spinal cord
Posterior roots of spinal nerves
Contain sensory (afferent) fibers
Anterior roots of spinal nerves
Contain motor (efferent) fibers
Dorsal root ganglion
Cluster of cell bodies of sensory neurons
*also known as spinal ganglion
Posterior longitudinal ligament
Location:
- Longitudinal ligament in between vertebral body and spinal cord
Function:
- Prevent hyperflexion of spine + posterior herniation of IV discs
*weaker than anterior
Ligamentum flavum
- Pale, yellow elastic fibrous tissue connecting vertebral arches, laminae to laminae
- Forms alternating sections of the posterior wall of vertebral canal
Sacrum
5 fused sacral bones
- S1 landmark = sacral promontory
- Fused SPs = median sacral crest
- Fused APs = intermediate sacral crest
- Fused TPs = lateral sacral crest
- Sacral hiatus = inverted U-shape (absence of L4-L5 laminae + SPs)
- Sacral cornua = inferior AP
- 4 posterior + 4 anterior foramina
Transverse scapular ligament
Crosses suprascapular notch
Spinal accessory nerve (CN XI)
Innervates:
- Trapezius
Dorsal scapular nerve
Innervates:
- Rhomboid major
- Rhomboid minor
- Levator scapulae
Superficial branch of transverse cervical artery
Supplies:
- Trapezius
*Runs with spinal accessory nerve
Dorsal scapular artery
Supplies:
- Rhomboid major
- Rhomboid minor
Suprascapular artery + nerve
Location:
- Above + below transverse scapular ligament
Supplies:
- Supraspinatus
- Infraspinatus
- Teres minor
Vertebral artery
Location:
- Suboccipital triangle
Supplies:
- Suboccipital muscles