Spinal Anatomy Flashcards
(38 cards)
How many vertebrae are there?
33
Clinical significance of C1 and C2
Allow for head rotation
Name of C7 and significant abnormality
Vertebrae Promines
Does not posses vertebral artery
May posses cervical rib
C7 is the attachment point for which muscle?
Scalenus Pleuralis
What is the blood supply to the cervical spine?
Segmental branches of ascending vertebral arteries
What type of joint is the intervertebral discs?
Fibrocartilaginous joints
What is the annulus fibrosis
Outer part of intervertebral discs
What is the gelatinous nucleus pulposis
Inner part of intervertebral discs
Name of C1 and C2 respectively
Atlas and Axis
Which spine has the greatest movement?
Cervical
Movements possible at the facet joints?
Flexion/extension
Lateral Flexion
What is spondylosis?
Water loss in the inter-vertebral discs due to aging, causing overloading on the spinal facet joints
What can help relieve spondylosis?
Facet joint injections under fluroscopy
Treatment for osteoarthritis (not in multilevel disease)
Localised fusion
Commonest area for disc water loss?
L4/5 and L5/S1
What is acute disc prolapse?
Tear of anulus due herniation or rupture of disc
What does the spinal cord run through?
Vertebral Foramina of the vertebral column
Motor cells originate ?
Anteriorly in the anterior horn
Sensory cells originate
Dorsally in the dorsal root ganglion
Where do mixed (motor and sensory) nerves exit?
Interertebral foramina
Where do sensory and motor nerves run as two pairs in the spine?
The lumbar spine
Where does the spinal cord end?
L1
At L1 what does the spinal cord become?
The cauda equina
Where is the exiting nerve root?
Outside the thecal sac
