Ligaments that stabilize atlantoaxial joint and what is the type of this joint
Ant and post atlantoaxial ligaments
Transverse ligament of atlas
Synovial joint
Ligaments attached to dens
Apical ligaments of dens
Alar ligaments
Transverse Atlantal ligament
Atypical cervical vertebrae and their atypical features
• C1 (atlas): no body, no spine
• C2 (axis): body projects upwards to form the odontoid process, thick spine
• C7 (vertebra prominence): very long spine, smaller foramen transversum
Movements at atlantoaxial joints
Movements at atlantoccipital joint
Rotational
Flexion, extension and lateral bending
Characteristics of lumbar vertebrae
Lumbar vertebrae have very large vertebral bodies, which are kidney-shaped. They lack the characteristic features of other vertebrae, with no transverse foramina, costal facets, or bifid spinous processes.
However, like the cervical vertebrae, they have a triangular-shaped vertebral foramen. Their spinous processes are shorter than those of thoracic vertebrae and do not extend inferiorly below the level of the vertebral body.
Structure passing through intervertebral foramen
Nervous structures
Spinal nerve root (both dorsal + ventral roots join → mixed spinal nerve).
Dorsal root ganglion (spinal ganglion).
Recurrent meningeal (sinuvertebral) nerve.
Vascular structures
Segmental spinal artery (radicular/medullary branches from vertebral, intercostal, lumbar, sacral arteries).
Veins: intervertebral veins connecting internal vertebral venous plexus ↔ external vertebral venous plexus.
Supporting structures
Transforaminal ligaments (help stabilize contents, though variably present).
Level of the lumbar puncture?
Layers to pass through?
L4/L5. (at the supracrestal line)
• Skin, subcutaneus fat, fascia
• Supraspinous ligament
• Interspinous ligament
• Ligamentum flavum
• Epidural space
• Dura matter
• Arachnoid matter
• CSF
IV disc anatomy?
Type of IV joint?
Movement on lumbar vertebrae?
Level of the spinal cord in newborn and adult?
Contents of the spinal canal below L2?
Location of the paravertebral venous plexus?
Internal nucleus pulposus surrounded by fibrocartilagenous annulus fibrosus
Secondary cartilaginous joint
Flexion, extension, lateral flexion, axial rotation
L3 (at birth), L1/2(adult)
Cauda equina
• Anterior external vertebral venous plexus, the small system around the vertebral bodies;
• Posterior external vertebral venous plexus, the extensive system around the vertebral processes;
• Anterior internal vertebral venous plexus, the system running the length of the vertebral canal anterior to the dura
• Posterior internal vertebral venous plexus, the system running the length of the vertebral canal posterior to the dura
What is cauda equine and how does it happen
Compression on nerve roots below the end of the spinal cord causing symptoms like back pain, saddle anesthesia, lower limbs numbness and weakness,
sexual dysfunction, bladder and bowel disturbance.
Causes herniated disc ,spinal stenosis, spinal tumors, trauma
Tumors metastasizing to the spine?g
• Breast
• Lung
• Thyroid
• GI tract
• Prostate
• Kidney
• Lymphoma
• Melanoma
• Unknown
• Others including multiple myeloma - 13%
Structures found at C6?
• Termination of the pharynx and beginning of the esophagus
• Termination of the larynx and beginning of the trachea
• Entry of the vertebral artery to the foramen transversum
• Intermediate tendon of omohyoid cross the carotid sheath
• Middle thyroid vein emerging from the thyroid gland
• Inferior thyroid artery entering the thyroid gland
