Joints of the Spine. 



161 



Fibrocartilago intervertebralis 



- Radix arcus vertebrae 



Ligamentum longitudinale posterius 



213. Vertebral bodies with ligaments, from behind. 



(The vertebral arches have been sawed off at their roots.) 



The ligamentum longitudinale posterius (0. T. posterior common ligament) (see also 

 Figs. 220 and 221) runs on the posterior surface of the vertebral bodies down inside the canalis 

 vertebralis. It begins as an extraordinarily thin, broad layer upon the clivus and is united 

 as far as the third cervical vertebra with the membrana tectoria, behind which it descends, 

 and with the dura mater. From the third cervical vertebra on it becomes narrower and stronger 

 behind each vertebral body and is there separated from the bone by a well-developed venous 

 plexus (see p. 454); at each fibrocartilago intervertebralis it becomes considerably broader, and 

 is especially firmly attached. It ends in the upper part of the canalis sacralis. In it can be 

 made out deeper bands, lying near the vertebral bodies, which are short and connect the ver- 

 tebrae which are close to one another, and superficial, long bands which extend over long dis- 

 tances ; it is the latter alone which form the uppermost part of the ligament behind the mem- 

 brana tectoria (see p. 168). It is connected with the dura mater spinalis by single fibre-bands. 



The ligamentum supraspinale (0. T. supraspinous ligament) (see Fig. 210) is a 

 powerful, narrow ligament. It extends downward behind the tips of the spinous processes, 

 becomes narrower between the same and fuses there with the ligamenta interspinalia. At the 

 tips of the processus spinosi it is separated from the bone by a thin layer of fibrocartilage. 

 The ligamentum supraspinale begins at the processus spinosus of the seventh cervical vertebra 

 as a continuation of the ligamentum nuchae, and ends below at the crista sacralis media. 



S pal t eho lz , Atlas. jj 



