Internal “Epidural” Venous Plexus
Membranes surrounding spinal cord
Subarachnoid Space
Epidural Space
Types of vessels needed for spinal cord perfusion
Longitudinal Vessels
Spinal arteries
Radicular arteries
Segmental medullary arteries
Posterior intercostal arteries
Path to dorsal/ventral root perfusion
Aorta –>Posterior intercostal artery–>spinal artery–> radicular artery
OR
Aorta–>Posterior intercostal artery–>segmental medullary artery–>longitudinal spinal arteries (anterior and posterior)
Great anterior segmental artery
Things vertebral canal houses
Number of pairs of spinal nerves
31
spinal cord is continuation of…
medulla oblongata
length of spinal cord
base of skull to ~L2
proportion of vertebral canal occupied by spinal cord
2/3
longest nerve roots (and reason)
Conus medullaris
Tapered end of spinal cord (~ L2)
internal filium terminale
extends from end of conus medullaris to interior end of dural sac
external filium medullaris
extends from edge of dural sac to sacrum and provides stability to spinal cord
Two spinal cord enlargements
Cauda Equina
Dural Sleeve