Week 9- Spinal column contents

Question 1

Which two ligaments are associated with the vertebral body?

Answer 1

Anterior longitudinal Ligament

Posterior longitudinal ligament

Question 2

Where would you find the anterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 2

Sits on the anterolateral aspect of the vertebral bodies.

Question 3

What are the points of attachment of the anterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 3

Skull base to the sacrum.

Question 4

What is the function of the deep and superficial fibres of the anterior longitudinal ligament?

What is the general function of the anterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 4

Deep fibres bind adjacent vertebrae together. Superficial fibres span multiple segments of vertebrae.

Generalised function is to limit extension of the spinal column (only ligament that does this)

Question 5

Where would you find the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 5

On the posterior aspect of the vertebral bodies within the vertebral canal.

Question 6

What are the points of attachment of the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 6

Attaches from C2 to the sacrum. It attaches mainly to IV discs and margins of the vertebrae.

Question 7

What may lie between the posterior longitudinal ligament and the bony surfaces?

Answer 7

May have fat and vessels between them.

Question 8

What is the function of the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 8

Weakly limits flexion and prevents posterior IV disc herniation.

Question 9

List the ligaments of the vertebral arch and processes?

Answer 9

Supraspinatous
Interspinatous
Ligament flava (plural, if singular ligamentum flavum)
Intertransverse ligaments
Nuchal ligament

Question 10

The ligamentum flava are strong elastic ligaments in the vertebral column. Where do the ligamentum flava attach?

Answer 10

It connects the lamina of adjacent vertebra.

Question 11

What is the function of ligamentum flava?

Answer 11

It limits flexion and reinforces the wall of the vertebral canal posteriorly.
Also helps to maintain curvatures.

Question 12

Where are the attachments of the interspinous ligament?

Describe the ligament?

Answer 12

Attaches between adjacent spinous processes.

Thin, weak and membranous.

Question 13

Where are the attachments of the supraspinous ligament?
At what spinal levels will you find a supraspinous ligament.
Describe the ligament?

Answer 13

Attaches between the tips of the adjacent spinous processes.
Only runs C7- sacrum.
Described as being ‘cord’ like.

Question 14

Where would you find the intertransverse ligaments?

Describe the intertransverse ligament in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.

Answer 14

Between adjacent transverse processes.

Cervical- scattered fibres
Thoracic-fibrous
Lumbar-membranous

Question 15

What are the points of attachment of the nuchal ligament?

Answer 15

Attaches from the external occipital protuberance to the posterior border of the foramen magnum to the spinous processes of C1-7.

Question 16

What is the nuchal ligament continuous with?

Answer 16

The supraspinous ligament.

Question 17

What is the function of the nuchal ligament?

Answer 17

Limits flexion and acts as a point for muscle attachment.

Question 18

At what level does the spinal cord end? What does it become?

Answer 18

Ends at L1/2 level at the medullary cone. Becomes the cauda equina.

Question 19

Where are the two enlargements in the spinal cord present? and why?

Answer 19

They are present at the cervical and lumbar regions. They are here due to fibres going to the lower and upper limb.

Question 20

What are the three layers of spinal meninges?

Answer 20

Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater

Question 21

Describe the spinal dura mater?

Answer 21

Tough, outer covering.

Question 22

Where does the spinal dura mater attach?

Answer 22

Attaches inferiorly to the coccyx via the filum terminale.

Question 23

What are the projections of dura mater that cover the posterior rami called?

Answer 23

The dural root sheaths.

Question 24

What may be found in the epidural space?

Answer 24

Internal vertebral venous plexus’s.

Epidural fat.

Question 25

Describe the arachnoid mater?

Answer 25

Delicate membrane lining dura.

Question 26

How is the arachnoid mater connected to the Pia mater?

Answer 26

Connected via arachnoid trabeculae.

Question 27

What fills the subarachnoid space?

Answer 27

CSF.

Question 28

What is the enlargement of the subarachnoid space called and where is it found?

Answer 28

The lumbar cistern. Enlarged around conus medullaris at L2-S2.

Question 29

What are the denticulate ligaments?

Answer 29

They run on either side of the spinal cord (anteriorly and posteriorly) and suspend the cord in the dural sac.

Question 30

Describe the arterial supply to the spinal cord?
Where do they run?
Which arteries support them?

Answer 30

There are two posterior spinal arteries and one anterior spinal artery.
They run longitudinally from the medulla oblongata to the conus medullaris.
They are supported by segmental arteries.

Question 31

Which arteries supply the nerve roots?

Answer 31

Radicular arteries.

Question 32

Describe the venous drainage of the spinal canal?

What do these veins join?

Answer 32

There are 3 anterior and 3 posterior spinal veins. These are drained by medullary and radicular veins.
They join the internal venous plexus’s in the epidural space