Cervical Vertebrae & Hyoid Bone

Vertebral Column
(33 Vertebrae): 7 Cervical

12 Thoracic

5 Lumbar

5 Sacral 4 Coccygeal

Curvatures of VC
Primary Curves:
- Occur During fetal development

- Concave anteriorly

- Thoracic & Sacral

Secondary Curves
Concave posteriorly - Cervical curvature: As the child starts to hold his head up

- Lumbar curvature: As the child begins to walk & assumes upright posture

Abnormal Curvatures
Kyphosis (hunch back)

Lordosis (hollow back)

Scoliosis (curved back)

IV Discs
2 parts: Annulus fibrosus (fibrous): Concentric layers of fibrocartilage Strengthens the disc, & protects the central part Nucleus pulposus (gelatinous): Central core of the disc More elastic ( water) Shock absorber Avascular

IV Ligaments
Ligaments between Vertebral Bodies
1. Ant. longitudinal ligament: Strong broad lig.

Connects the anterolateral aspects of V. bodies

2. Posterior longitudinal ligament: Thinner & weaker than ant. lig.

Extends on middle part of posterior aspects of the vertebral bodies

Ligaments between arches & processes

1. Ligamentum flavum: Between laminae, elastic

2. Intertransverse lig. between transverse

3. Interspinous lig. between spines

4. Supraspinous lig. Between tips of spines

5. Nuchal Ligament: (nucha: back of the neck)

From external occipital protuberance & ??

To spines of cervical vertebrae

Merge with supraspinous lig. inferiorly

Cervical Vertebrae
7 vertebrae: C3-C6 = typical C1, C2 & C7 = atypical Characteristics of typical C.V.: 1. small body (rectangular) 2. transverse foramina (v.a.) *exception: C7 3. short bifid spinous process * exception: C7 (longest s.p.) 4. large triangular V. foramen

Atlas (C1)
1st cervical V. (ring-like bone) Named after Greek myth. Atlas Communicates: sup.: skull (atlanto-occipital j.) inf.: axis (atlanto-axial j.) Characteristics: 1. no body 2. no spinous process 3. ant. & post. arches 4. 2 lateral masses

Axis (C2)
2nd cervical vertebra *Odontoid process (dens= tooth): binds to atlas at A-A joint (hence the name= axis) * Dens represents the body of atlas that has fused with body of axis

AtlantoAtlanto-Occipital Joint
Type: condyloid synovial joint Articulations: lat. Masses of atlas & occipital condyles Movement: 1. flexion & extension (nodding of head, yes) 2. lateral flexion (bending of head)

AtlantoAtlanto-Occipital Joint
Supporting Ligaments: 1. Ant. atlanto-occipital memb. Ant. arch of atlas Ant. margin of F. magnum 2. Post. atlanto-occipital memb. Post. arch of atlas ??

AtlantoAtlanto-Axial Joints
3 joints: 2 lateral A-A joints: lat. Masses of atlas & Sup. Facets of axis Median A-A joint: Ant. arch of atlas (ant.) & Dens of axis & Trans. Lig. of atlas (post.)

Median Atlanto-Axial Joint AtlantoType: pivot synovial joint Articulations: ?? Movement: Rotational

Supporting Ligaments: Cruciate Lig.: (3 lig.) Trans. Lig. of atlas sup. & inf. longitudinal lig. Apical Lig.: tip of dens to ant. margin of F. magnum Alar Lig.s: sides of dens to lateral margins of F. magnum Tectorial Memb.: sup. continuation of post. longitudinal lig.

Rupture of Transverse Lig. of Atlas

Trans. Lig. rupture Atlanto-axial subluxation (displacement of dens posteriorly) 1. Inj. To upper cervical region of SC Quadriplegia 2. Inj. To medulla oblongata death (more common scenario) Usual cause of death in Whiplash Injures

Hyoid Bone
U-shaped bone inf. to mandible ant. upper cervical region Part of axial Sk. Body 2 Greater horns 2 Lesser horns Forms a base for the tongue

Muscular Attachments of Hyoid

yoid bone is suspended in its position by ligaments & muscular attachments Ant. Sup.: mandible (geniohyoid, mylohyoid, ant. digastric) Post. Sup.: temporal bone (stylohyoid, post. digastric) Ant. Inf.: sternum (sternohyoid, sternothyroid & thyrohyoid) Post. Inf.: scapula (omohyoid)