2 7 



HEAD AND NECK 



where the disc of fibro-cartilage is absent. They are of small 

 extent, and are confined entirely to the intervals between the 

 projecting lateral lips of the upper surface of the body 

 and the bevelled-off lateral margins of the lower surface of 

 the vertebral body immediately above. The bony surfaces 

 are coated with encrusting cartilage, and are separated by 

 a synovial cavity enclosed by a feeble articular capsule. 



The ligaments which bind the bodies of the lower five 

 cervical vertebrae together are the direct continuation upwards 

 of the anterior and the posterior longitudinal ligaments of 

 the vertebrae. When the medulla spinalis was removed, 

 the laminae of the vertebrae, below the epistropheus, were 



Synovial part of 

 joint between bodies 

 of vertebrae 



Joint betwe 

 articular processes 



Capsule around 

 joint between two 

 articular processes 



Intervertebral fibro- 

 cartilage 



FIG. 101. Frontal section through bodies of certain of the 

 Cervical Vertebrae. 



taken away, so that very little dissection will be required to 

 make out the connections of both of the ligaments mentioned. 

 The anterior longitudinal ligament is a strong band placed on 

 the anterior faces of the vertebral bodies. It is more firmly 

 fixed to the intervening intervertebral fibre-cartilages than to 

 the bones, ^ht posterior longitudinq^ ligament^ which lies on 

 the posterior aspects of the vertebral bodies, constitutes the 

 anterior boundary of the vertebral canal. In the cervical 

 region it completely covers the bodies and does not present 

 the denticulated appearance which is" so characteristic lower 

 down. It is attached chiefly to the fibro-cartilages and the 

 adjacent margins of the bones. 



The vertebral arches of the lower five cervical vertebrae are 

 bound together by (a) the articulations between the articular 

 processes; (b) ligamenta flava ; (c) interspinous ligaments, 

 and (d) intertransverse ligaments ; (e) ligamentum nuchae. 



