L10 - vertebral column Flashcards
(97 cards)
1
Q
how many vertebrae does the adult vertebral column have
A
33
2
Q
how many cervical vertebrae are there
A
7
3
Q
how many thoracic vertebrae are there
A
12
4
Q
how many lumbar vertebrae are there
A
5
5
Q
how many sacral vertebrae are there
A
5
6
Q
how many coccygeal vertebrae are there
A
4
7
Q
what holds the vertebrae together?
A
facet joints
intevertebral discs
ligaments
8
Q
facet joints
A
connect the superior and inferior articular processes of adjacent vertebrae; interlocking maintains stability
9
Q
intervertebral foramen
A
pathway in which the spinal nerves pass
10
Q
role of ligaments
A
bing vertebrae together and stabilise the vertebral column
11
Q
intervertebral disc
A
- between all non-fused vertebrae
- provide flexibility
- act as shock absorbers
- adhere vertebral bodies to one another
12
Q
functions of vertebral column
A
- protect spinal cord
- support body weight
- semi-rigid axis for bodt
- allows for pivoting of the head
- supports posture and locomotion
13
Q
spinal canal
A
tunnel formed by stacked up vertebrae in which the spinal cord passes through
14
Q
primary curvature of spinal canal
A
thoracic and sacral kyphoses
15
Q
secondary curvatures
A
cervical and lumbar lordoses
16
Q
curvatures in babies
A
- in foetus, primary curvature forms uniformally
- as the baby grows and supports its own head and walks, the secondary curvatures form
17
Q
scoliosis
A
curvature of the spine so that the vertebral column is not in the midline - lateral curvature
18
Q
excessive kyphosis
A
hunch back
19
Q
pedicles
A
segments of the vertebral arch
- join the spinous and transverse processes together
- join spinous processes the body
20
Q
laminae
A
important for ligament attachment
21
Q
superior and inferior articular processes
A
- form facet joints
- determines type of movement we have in our vertebral column
22
Q
transverse processes
A
- articulate with ribs
23
Q
spinous process
A
- connects directly out posterior
24
Q
what do we feel in the midline of out back
A
spinous processes
25
smallest vertebrae
cervical
26
atypical features of C1
articulates with occiput
| - allows us to nod our head up and down
27
atypical features of C1 and C2
C1 and C2 articulate with each other and form a pivot joint – allows us to turn our head from side to side
28
vertebra prominens
long spinous process on C7
29
transverse foramina of C7
small or absent
30
what do we feel at the bottom of our neck
vertebra prominens
31
how many cervical spinal nerves are there
8
32
why are injuries to C spine common
- C spine is flexible
| - head is heavy
33
movements of C spine
- flex and extend
- laterally flex
- head rotation
34
bifid
splits into 2
35
which part of the cervical vertebrae is bifid
spinous
36
why does injury to the vertebral foramen not always affect the spinal cord
it is large compared to it
37
importance of transverse foramina
passage of vertebral artery and vein to and from brain
38
which foramina does the vertebral artery not travel through
C7
39
shape of C1
ring
| - no vertebral body or spinous process
40
importance of articulation between C1 and skull
allows us to move our head up and down
41
atlantoaxial joints
between C1 and C2
42
how many atlantoaxial joints are there
3
- 2 lateral
- 1 median
43
lateral atlantoaxial joints
between the lateral masses of C1 and the superior facets of C2
44
medial atlantoaxial joint
a pivot joint between the dens and atlas
| Synovial – which means it can be affected by RA
45
how is the atlantoaxial joint reinforced
transverse ligament of the atlas which holds the dens in place
46
what causes fracture of the atlas
axial loading --> can burst fracture of C1 ring
47
Jefferson fracture
fracture of atlas
48
cause of axial loading
any direct blow to the top of the head
| - e.g., diving into a pool and hitting head on bottom
49
consequence of atlas fracture
- doesn't always cause spinal cord injury
- wider vertebral foramen
- spinal cord is not compressed
50
how common is fracture of dens
10-15% of C-spine fractures
51
cause of fracture of dens
hyeprflexion of hyperextension
52
who is most affected by fracture of dens
- over 70s (low-energy trauma)
| - 20-30s (high energy trauma)
53
how is the dens held in place
transverse ligaments of the atlas
54
is the spinal cord affected in a dens fracture
not usually
- dens held in place by ligaments
- spinal canal is much larger than spinal cord
however, if dens fractured and ligaments ruptures, dens may be driven into the brainstem
55
C-spine immobilisation
collar
blocks / plates
tape
56
lordosis
loss of normal curvature of spine
57
shape of thoracic vertebral body
heart shaped with superior and inferior costal Demi-facets
58
role of demi-facets in thoracic vertebrae
articulation with head of rib
59
spinous process of thoracic vertebrae
long and extends postero-inferiorly
60
transverse process of thoracic vertebrae
costal facet for articulation with tubercle of a ribe
61
articular facets of thoracic vertebrae
superior facets posteriorly
| inferior facets anteriorly
62
most commonly affected areas for T-spine trauma
T11-12
63
osteoporosis
metabolic disease / demineralisation where bones become weak
64
compression 'wedge; fracture
concavity of vertebral body (instead of them being square)
65
osteoarthritis
wear and tear at the joints
| - osteophytes: joint narrowing
66
vertebral body of L vertebrae
large for increased weight bearing
67
articular facets of L vertebrae
- Superior face medially
| - Inferior face laterally
68
spinous process of L vertebrae
short and sturdy
69
vertebral foramen of L vertebae
narrow
70
ala
transverse processes which have fused together on either side
71
movements of vertebral column
flexion
extension
lateral flexion (side to side)
rotation (look over shoulder)
72
most flexible vertebral levels
C and L
73
movement in T-spine
- flexion limited
- rotation possible
- as they articulate with rubs and ribs articulate with sternum
74
innervation of intrinsic muscles of back
posterior rami of spinal nerve
75
chief extensor or vertebral column
erector spinae
76
erector spinae
- Large muscle that runs longitudinally either side of VC
| - Composed of 3 separate muscles
77
muscles which make up erector spinae
- longissimus muscle
- iliocostalis muscle
- spinalis muscle
78
what lies deep to erector spinae
smaller muscles
79
location of intervertebral discs
between vertebral bodies
80
what makes up intervertebral discs
```
outer = annulus fibrosus
inner = nucleus pulposus
```
81
annulus fibrosus
Fibrocartilage ring attached to the rim of vertebral body
82
nucleus pulposus
Gelatinous ‘shock absorber’
83
role of intervertebral discs
flexibility, shock absorption and stability
84
slipped disc
when annulus fibrosus becomes stiff and nucleus pulposus herniates through, squashing the spinal nerve or spinal cord itseld
85
why are the C and L spine most flexible
intervertebral discs are thicker here
86
what happens to intervertebral discs with age
dehydrate
| become thinner and stiffer
87
sciatica
compression of spinal nerve roots and L5/S1 or L5/S1
88
key ligaments in the vertebral canal
- posterior longitudinal ligament
- anterior longitudinal ligament
- ligamentum flavym
89
Posterior longitudinal ligament
- C2 to sacrum
- Resists hyperflexion
- Prevents posterior herniation of IV discs
90
Anterior longitudinal ligament
- Runs anterior to the vertebral bodies
- Longitudinal – runs from top to bottom
- Occipital bone and C1 to sacrum
- Only ligament to resist hyperextension of vertebral column, all the others resist hyperflexion
91
Ligamentum flavum (L. yellow)
- Binds lamina of adjacent vertebrae
| - Traversed in LP; resistance felt against the needle before it 'gives’ with a so-called “pop”
92
ligaments which bind spinous processes together
interspinous and supraspinous ligaments
93
interspinous ligaments
between adjacent spinous processes
94
Supraspinous ligaments
join the tips of the spinous processes
95
route of lumbar puncture
through the supra, through the infra, through the ligamentum flavum and into the vertebral canal
96
whiplash
Rapid, forceful hyperextension then hyperflexion
97
which ligament is torn in hyperextension
Anterior longitudinal ligament
