Axial Skeleton: Vertebral Column And Thoracic Cage

Front 1

What is at the anterior region of each vertebra that is the weight-bearing structure of each vertebra?

Back 1

Body

Front 2

What is posterior to the vertebral body which makes up the laminae and pedicles?

Back 2

Vertebral arch

Front 3

What structures makeup the vertebral arch?

Back 3

2 supporting pedicles and 2 arched laminae

Front 4

What is the hollow space formed by the neural arch and body?

Back 4

Vertebral foramen

Front 5

What is vertebral canal?

Back 5

Collectively, all the stacked vertebral foramina form a superior-to-inferior directed hole that contains the delicate spinal cord.

Front 6

What is located between the pedicles of adjacent vertebrae?

Back 6

intervertebral foramina

Front 7

what purpose does the structure of the intervertebral foramina serve?

Back 7

Allows a horizontally directed passageway through which spinal nerves travel to other parts of the body.

Front 8

What are the 7 processes that arise from the vertebral arch?

Back 8

Spinous process
2 transverse processes
2 superior articular processes
2 inferior articular processes

Front 9

What projects posteriorly and inferiorly from the laminae of the vertebral arch?

Back 9

The spinous process

Front 10

What is the purpose of the spinous process in the vertebral column?

Back 10

Muscle attachment and ligament attachment

Front 11

What extend laterally from each side of the vertebral arch?

Back 11

Transverse processes

Front 12

What processes serve for muscle attachment and, in the case of T1-T12 provide for rib attachment along with the body of the vertebrae?

Back 12

Transverse processes

Front 13

What interlock with the superior articular processes of the adjacent below vertebra?

Back 13

2 inferior articular processes.

Front 14

What does the interlocking of the superior articular processes and the inferior articular processes help do?

Back 14

Limit twisting of the vertebral column.

Front 15

What interlocks with the inferior articular processes of the adjacent above vertebra?

Back 15

superior articular processes

Front 16

What are the adjacent vertebral bodies, that are interconnected by ligaments, seperated by?

Back 16

Intervertebral discs

Front 17

What is the outer ring of the intervertebral disc composed of?

Back 17

Fibrocartilage (ANULUS FIBROSUS)

Front 18

What is the inner circular core of the intervertebral disc composed of?

Back 18

A gelatinous consistency (NUCLEUS PULPOSUS)

Front 19

The intervertebral discs make up approximately what height of the entire vertebral column?

Back 19

1/4

Front 20

What do the intervertebral discs do for the vertebral column that allow for flexibility between the vertebrae?

Back 20

They act as shock absorbers

Front 21

How does a herniated disc occur?

Back 21

Occurs when the gelatinous nucleus pulposus protrudes into or through the anulus fibrosis. This herniation produces a "bulging" of the disc posterolaterally into the vertebral canal and pinches the spinal cord and/or nerves of the spinal cord.

Front 22

What is sciatica and how is it associated with a herniated disc?

Back 22

If the disc starts to pinch nerve fibers, the patient may feel pain down the enter lower limb.

Front 23

Where is the most common disc rupture located?

Back 23

between vertebrae L4 and L5

Front 24

what is microdiscectomy?

Back 24

A surgical technique whereby the herniated portion of the disc is removed

Front 25

What is a discectomy?

Back 25

A more invasive technique when compared to microdiscectomy where the laminae of the nearby vertebrae and the back muscles are incised before removing the herniated portions of the disc.