B • ANATOMY, NEUROPATHOLOGY AND REGENERATION 51
fovea costalis superior
,
«,.
-"
processus ariicularis superior
vert. Ihorac.
X
dens
axis
of/as
VII
fovea costalis transversatis
processus
spmosi
£——_processus accessor/us
processus
spinosi
v. lumb. II
processus
C^
mamillaris
FIG. 15. Cervical vertebral column,
dorsal view (from right) (Sobotta-
Becher).
processus cos/onus /
processus accessor/us
processus
articularis inferior
FIG. 16. The three caudal thoracic and two upper
lumbar vertebrae (lateral view) (Sobotta-Becher).
It is beyond the scope of this book to describe in detail the congenital abnormalities
of the vertebral column but some of them, relevant to the effects of spinal injuries may
be mentioned here (see also later). The number of vertebrae may vary, and it is not
uncommon to find six lumbar vertebrae and, on the other hand, a sacralization of the
5th lumbar vertebra which may be bilateral or unilateral. Assimilation of the atlas with
the base of the skull is relatively rare. There are also anomalies of the ribs, and the
most well known are the I3th rib connected with the ist lumbar vertebra and the super-
numery rib of the yth cervical vertebra or an enlargement of the tuberculum anterius of
that vertebra. Another common anomaly is the spina bifida of the 5th lumbar and ist
sacral vertebrae which may appear as spina bifida occulta, as a congenital defect without
herniation of neural tissue or meninges, or another form of vertebral defect, spina bifida
cystica, associated with external swelling containing spinal cord tissue and meninges.
Butterfly forms of congenital vertebral anomalies have been reported by Frets (1911)
and Junghanns (1968).
INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS
The intervertebral discs, closely coherent to the anterior and posterior longitudinal
ligaments, form the chief connection of the vertebrae. They consist of a central nodular
fluid matrix containing collagen fibrils, the nucleus pulposus. At birth, it is soft and
