SPINAL CORD IN DETAIL
• spinal cord injuries are common And can occur as a result of automobile and
motorcycle accidents, falls , sports injuries and gunshot wounds
• spinal cord and spinal nerves damage may also be associated with vertebral
fractures , vertebral infections, vertebral tumours ,both primarily and secondary and
herniated intervertebral disc
A brief review of the vertebral column
• The vertebral column is the central bony pillar of the body
• it supports the skull, pectoral girdle ,upper Limbs and thoracic cage and by the
way of pelvic girdle, transmits body weight to the lower limbs
• within its cavity lie the spinal cord the roots of the Spinal nerves ,and the covering
meninges, to which the vertebral column gives great protection
Composition of vertebral column
• The vertebral column is composed of 33 vertebrae in which 7 cervical , 12
thoracic, 5 lumber, 5 sacral (fuse to form the sacrum) and 4 coccygeal (the
lower 3 are commonly fused)
• because it is segmented and made up of vertebral joints and pads of fibrocartilage
called intervertebral disc it is flexible structure.
• the intervertebral discs form about 1/4 the length of the column
General characteristics takes off vertebra…
• Although vertebra show regional differences but they all possesses a common
pattern
• a typical vertebra consists of a rounded body anteriorly and a vertebral arch
posteriorly
• these enclose a space called vertebral foramen through which run the spinal cord
and its coverings
• The vertebral arch consists of a pair of cylindrical pedicles , which form the sides
of arch and a pair of flattened laminae which complete the arch posteriorly
• the vertebral arch gives rise to 7 processes : one Spinous, two transverse and four
articular
• the spinous process or spine is directed posteriorly from the junction of two laminae
, SPINAL CORD IN DETAIL
• The transfers process are directed laterally from the junction of the laminae and the
pedicles
• both the spinous and transverse process serve as levers and receive
attachments of muscles and ligaments
• the articular processes are vertically arranged and consist of two superior and
two inferior processes
• they arise from the junction of laminae and pedicles
• the two superior articular processes of one vertebral arch articulate with the
two inferior articular processes of the arch above, forming two synovial joints
• the pedicles are notched on their upper and lower borders forming the superior and
inferior vertebral notches
• on each side the superior notch of one vertebra and inferior notch of an adjacent
vertebra together form the intervertebral foramen
• these foramina in an articulated skeleton serves to transmit the spinal nerves and
blood vessels
• the anterior and posterior nerve roots of spinal nerve unite within these foramina
with their coverings of dura to form segmental spinal nerves
joints of vertebral column
• below the axis of vertebra articulate with each other by means of cartilaginous
joints between their bodies and by synovial joints between their articular processes
joints between 2 vertebral bodies
• sandwiched between the vertebral bodies is an intervertebral disc of fibrocartilage
intervertebral disc
• the intervertebral disc are thickest in the cervical and lumber regions because
their movements of vertebral column are greatest
• they serve as a shock absorbers when the load of the vertebral column is suddenly
increased
• unfortunately the resilience is gradually lost with advancing age
• each disk consists of a peripheral part the annulus fibrosis and central part the
nucleus pulposus
• spinal cord injuries are common And can occur as a result of automobile and
motorcycle accidents, falls , sports injuries and gunshot wounds
• spinal cord and spinal nerves damage may also be associated with vertebral
fractures , vertebral infections, vertebral tumours ,both primarily and secondary and
herniated intervertebral disc
A brief review of the vertebral column
• The vertebral column is the central bony pillar of the body
• it supports the skull, pectoral girdle ,upper Limbs and thoracic cage and by the
way of pelvic girdle, transmits body weight to the lower limbs
• within its cavity lie the spinal cord the roots of the Spinal nerves ,and the covering
meninges, to which the vertebral column gives great protection
Composition of vertebral column
• The vertebral column is composed of 33 vertebrae in which 7 cervical , 12
thoracic, 5 lumber, 5 sacral (fuse to form the sacrum) and 4 coccygeal (the
lower 3 are commonly fused)
• because it is segmented and made up of vertebral joints and pads of fibrocartilage
called intervertebral disc it is flexible structure.
• the intervertebral discs form about 1/4 the length of the column
General characteristics takes off vertebra…
• Although vertebra show regional differences but they all possesses a common
pattern
• a typical vertebra consists of a rounded body anteriorly and a vertebral arch
posteriorly
• these enclose a space called vertebral foramen through which run the spinal cord
and its coverings
• The vertebral arch consists of a pair of cylindrical pedicles , which form the sides
of arch and a pair of flattened laminae which complete the arch posteriorly
• the vertebral arch gives rise to 7 processes : one Spinous, two transverse and four
articular
• the spinous process or spine is directed posteriorly from the junction of two laminae
, SPINAL CORD IN DETAIL
• The transfers process are directed laterally from the junction of the laminae and the
pedicles
• both the spinous and transverse process serve as levers and receive
attachments of muscles and ligaments
• the articular processes are vertically arranged and consist of two superior and
two inferior processes
• they arise from the junction of laminae and pedicles
• the two superior articular processes of one vertebral arch articulate with the
two inferior articular processes of the arch above, forming two synovial joints
• the pedicles are notched on their upper and lower borders forming the superior and
inferior vertebral notches
• on each side the superior notch of one vertebra and inferior notch of an adjacent
vertebra together form the intervertebral foramen
• these foramina in an articulated skeleton serves to transmit the spinal nerves and
blood vessels
• the anterior and posterior nerve roots of spinal nerve unite within these foramina
with their coverings of dura to form segmental spinal nerves
joints of vertebral column
• below the axis of vertebra articulate with each other by means of cartilaginous
joints between their bodies and by synovial joints between their articular processes
joints between 2 vertebral bodies
• sandwiched between the vertebral bodies is an intervertebral disc of fibrocartilage
intervertebral disc
• the intervertebral disc are thickest in the cervical and lumber regions because
their movements of vertebral column are greatest
• they serve as a shock absorbers when the load of the vertebral column is suddenly
increased
• unfortunately the resilience is gradually lost with advancing age
• each disk consists of a peripheral part the annulus fibrosis and central part the
nucleus pulposus
