vertebral column

Examples of vertebral column in the following topics:

• General Characteristics of the Spine

  • The vertebral column (also known as the backbone or spine), is a tall, thin organ located dorsally that extends from the base of the spine to the pelvis.
  • Viewed laterally the vertebral column presents several curves that correspond to the different regions of the column.
  • The vertebral column has 33 bones.
  • Each color represents a section of the column.
  • Describe the purpose of the vertebral column and its development from fetus to toddler

• The Spine

  • Kyphosis is an exaggerated concave (kyphotic) curvature of the thoracic vertebral column; it is commonly known as "humpback."
  • In human anatomy, the vertebral column (backbone or spine) usually consists of 24 articulating vertebrae and nine fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx.
  • A typical vertebra consists of the vertebral body and vertebral arch.
  • The vertebral arch is formed by a pair of pedicles and a pair of laminae.
  • When viewed laterally, the vertebral column presents several curves corresponding to the different regions of the column: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and pelvic.

• Overview of the Axial Skeleton

  • It is composed of: the human skull, the ossicles of the middle ear, the hyoid bone of the throat, the rib cage (including the sternum), and the vertebral column.
  • The vertebral column usually consists of 24 articulating vertebrae and nine fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx.

• Abnormal Curves of the Vertebral Column

  • Viewed laterally, the vertebral column presents several curves which correspond to the different regions of the column: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and pelvic.
  • Retrolisthesis is a posterior displacement of one vertebral body with respect to the adjacent vertebral segment, but is not a dislocation.
  • Scoliosis is typically classified as either congenital (caused by vertebral anomalies present at birth), idiopathic (cause unknown, subclassified as infantile, juvenile, adolescent, or adult, according to when onset occurred), or neuromuscular (having developed as a secondary symptom of another condition, such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy, or physical trauma).
  • In this procedure, bone (either harvested from elsewhere in the body autograft or from a donor allograft) is grafted to the vertebrae so that when it heals they will form one solid bone mass and the vertebral column becomes rigid.
  • Distinguish among the types of abnormal curvature of the vertebral column

• Overview of the Spinal Cord

  • The spinal cord runs along the inside of the vertebral column and serves as the signaling conduit between the brain and the periphery.
  • The birth defect spina bifida is a failure of the vertebral arch to close, exposing the spinal cord.
  • The spinal cord, protected by the vertebral column, begins at the occipital bone and extends down to the space between the first and second lumbar vertebrae.
  • The cauda equina ("horse's tail") is the name for the collection of nerves in the vertebral column that extends beyond the cord.
  • Relationship between the spinal cord and vertebral column, delineating the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar sections.

• The Axial Skeleton

  • The axial skeleton is the part of the skeleton that consists of the bones of the head and trunk of a vertebrate animal, including humans.
  • There are normally thirty-three vertebrae in the human vertebral column.
  • The cervical vertebrae make up the junction between the vertebral column and the cranium, and the bone makes up the junction between the vertebral column and the pelvic bones.

• Thoracic Aorta

  • At its commencement, the thoracic aorta is situated on the left of the vertebral column; it approaches the median line as it descends, and at its termination lies directly in front of the column.
  • The thoracic aorta's relation, from above downward, is as follows: anteriorly with the root of the left lung, the pericardium, the esophagus and the diaphragm; posteriorly with the vertebral column; on the right side with the hemiazygos veins and thoracic duct; and on the left side with the left pleura and lung.

• Fractures of the Vertebral Column

  • A spinal fracture (or vertebral fracture) is a fracture affecting the bones of the spinal column.
  • A spinal fracture (or vertebral fracture) is a fracture affecting the bones of the spinal column.

• Body Cavities

  • Vertebrates have fluid-filled spaces called body cavities that contain the organs.
  • The vertebral cavity is the posterior portion of the dorsal cavity and contains the structures within the vertebral column.
  • Humans have multiple body cavities, including the cranial cavity, the vertebral cavity, the thoracic cavity (containing the pericardial cavity and the pleural cavity), the abdominal cavity, and the pelvic cavity.

• Regional Vertebral Characteristics

  • The vertebrae of the spinal column are divided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccyx.
  • The vertebrae comprising the spinal column can be divided into five regions, based on the five varying curvatures of the spine.
  • The upper three regions of the spinal column are termed the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar; they contain individually jointed vertebrae.
  • The five lumbar vertebrae are the largest vertebral bones and increase in size when moving inferiorly.