20 Cervical Vertebrae

Cervical Spine

• The atlanto-occipital joint allows for the movement of nodding the head up and down.
• The C5-C6 and C6-C7 areas of the cervical spine see the highest amount of trauma.

Surgical Procedures

• The Dynamic Motion Spine Stabilization is an alternative to spinal fusion for addressing adjacent segment disease.

Klippel-Feil Syndrome

• Associated abnormalities of Klippel-Feil syndrome include vertebral fusion, scoliosis, and rib cage deformities.

Vertebral Column

• The spinal cord is housed in the vertebral canal.
• A human vertebral column normally has 33 vertebrae.
• The lumbar region of the vertebral column has the highest variation in the number of vertebrae.
• The thoracic region of the vertebral column contains the most vertebrae.

Vertebra Structure

• The vertebral arch encloses the vertebral foramen.

Curves of the Vertebral Column

• The primary curves of the vertebral column are the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral curves.
• The cervical curve forms during infancy and early childhood as the child learns to hold up their head.

Intervertebral Foramina

• The intervertebral foramina transmit spinal nerves.

Ligaments of the Spine

• The supraspinal ligament extends the length of the spine, running along the back of the spinous processes.

Spinal Cord

• The spinal cord begins at the foramen magnum and ends at the conus medullaris.
• The brachial cord handles sensory input and motor output to the arms and trunk.

Meninges of the Spinal Cord

• The space between the arachnoid and the pia mater is called the subarachnoid space.

Dorsal Roots

• The dorsal roots transmit sensory information to the spinal cord.

Grey Column

• The grey column is responsible for transmitting and integrating sensory and motor information.

Filum Terminale

• The filum terminale anchors the spinal cord to the coccyx.

Cervical Vertebrae in Mammals

• In mammals, the cervical vertebrae are typically 7 in number.

Cervical Vertebrae in Humans

• In humans, the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae are specialized for rotational movement.

Atlanto-Axial Joint

• The atlanto-axial joint allows for the movement of shaking or rotating the head left and right.

Vertebra Structure

• The spinous process is responsible for attaching certain superficial muscles, like the trapezius and splenius capitis.
• The transverse process of the cervical vertebrae is pierced by the foramen transversarium.
• The C7 vertebra has a distinctive long and prominent spinous process that is palpable from the skin surface.
• The axis (C2) vertebra is characterized by a dens, a strong, tooth-like projection that serves as a pivot point for the atlas (C1) vertebra.