Joints of the Spine. 



167 



Capsulae - \ 

 articulates ~~~-~. 



Pars basilaris ossis occipitalis 



x Ligamentum apicis dentis 



is hypoglossi 

 x Ligamentum alare 



-<- Os occipitale 



Atlas 



'(processus trans versus) 



-<- I'.pist 



Corpus epistrophei 



219. Occipital bone, first and second cervical 

 vertebrae with ligaments, from behind. 



(The part of the occipital bone* situated behind the middle of the foramen occipitale magnum 

 and the arches of the .cervical vertebrae have been removed; the membrana tectoria and the 

 ligamentum cruciatum atlantis have been completely removed. The right joint slits are opened.) 



Articulatio atlantoepistropMca (continued). It is strengthened by the 

 ligamenta alaria (0. T. odontoid or check ligaments) (see also Fig. 218). These 

 consist on each side of a- strong, flat -rounded fibre bundle which extends from the 

 lateral surface of the dens epistrophei obliquely upward and lateralward to the medial 

 surface of the condylus occipitalis where it is attached. They are situated therefore, in 

 front of the ligamentum cruciatum atlantis. 



Also in front of the ligamentum cruciatum atlantis, in front of its upper vertical 

 limb, a thin rounded band, ligamentum apicis dentis, (0. T. ligamentum suspensorium) 

 extends in the median plane from the tip of the odontoid process to the anterior circum- 

 ference of the foramen occipitale magnum (see also Fig. 221). It is mechanically in- 

 significant and only important because it arises from the uppermost part of the embryonic 

 chorda dorsalis. 



