B - ANATOMY, NEUROPATHOLOGY AND REGENERATION
53
orcus ver/ebrae
ligg.
/n/er/rans-
~~~~~
versar/a
//'gomenfo
cos/o/rons-
versaria
.
cosfo/ransversor/a
——7
superiora
//gomenfum
flavum '
i
ligamenlum supraspinale
orcus verlebro//s
FIG. 18. Ligaments of the middle and caudal thoracic vertebrae and ribs (dorsal view)
(Sobotta-Becher).
ligamenta flava. The anterior longitudinal ligament, beginning at the tuberculum anterius
of the atlas and consisting of longitudinal fibres, is firmly fixed to the anterior surface
of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs and ends at the sacrum. Its attachment
to the vertebrae is more firm on the upper and lower anterior surfaces of the vertebrae
than on the middle part (Fig. 17).
The posterior longitudinal ligament is fixed on the posterior surfaces of the vertebral
bodies within the spinal canal and its attachments reach cranially the axis and caudally
the sacrum and, as mentioned before, they also connect with the intervertebral discs.
The ligamenta flava, consisting of yellow elastic fibres, connect the laminae of adjacent
vertebrae, being attached to the lower margin of the anterior surface of the superior
lamina and to the posterior surface of the upper margin of the inferior lamina of the
vertebrae. Through their attachments they control the movements of the vertebrae
and prevent excessive flexion.
Other components of the ligamentous complex of the spine are the ligamentum
nuchae which extends from the external protuberance of the skull to the yth cervical
vertebra, furthermore, the supraspinous and interspinous ligaments, which are connected
with the spinous processes, while the intertransverse ligaments interposed between the
transverse processes are connected with the deep back muscles and the ligamenta
costotransversaria (Fig. 19).
