Information about Cauda Equina

Cauda equina and filum terminale seen from behind.
subject #208 919
ArteryIliolumbar artery
MeSH Cauda+Equina
The cauda equina is a structure within the lower end of the spinal column of most vertebrates, that consists of nerve roots and rootlets from above. Cauda equina is sometimes considered as an extension of the pia mater of the spinal cord. The space in which the cerebro spinal fluid is present is actually an extension of the sub arachnoid space.

In humans, because the spinal cord stops growing in infancy while the bones of the spine continue growing, the spinal cord in adults ends at about the level of the vertebra L1/L2 , and at birth at L3. However there is some variation in adults and the cord may end anywhere between vertebrae T12 to L3. Individual spinal nerve roots arise from the spinal cord as they do closer to the head, but as the differential growth occurs the top end of the nerve stays attached to the spinal cord and the lower end of the nerve exits the spinal column at its proper level, this results in a "bundle"-like structure of nerve fibres that extends caudally from the end of the spinal cord, gradually declining in number further down as individual pairs leave the spinal column. At the base of the Cauda Equina, there are approximately 10 fibre pairs, 3-5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and the single coccygeal nerve.

Etymology

All these roots and rootlets down the vertebral column give the appearance of a horse's tail, which is the meaning of the Latin name cauda equina.

Clinical relevance

Cauda equina is the part of the spinal cord where a spinal tap is performed in order to get a sample of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) for diagnostic purposes.

See also

External links

The phylum terminale is a delicate filament, about 20 cm. in length, prolonged downward from the apex of the conus medullaris.

It consists of two parts, an upper and a lower.
  • The upper part, or phylum terminale internum, measures about 15 cm.

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Arteries are muscular blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.[1] All arteries, with the exception of the pulmonary and umbilical arteries, carry oxygenated blood.

The circulatory system is extremely important for sustaining life.
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The iliolumbar artery is a branch of the posterior trunk of the internal iliac artery.

Course

The iliolumbar artery turns upward behind the obturator nerve and the external iliac artery and vein, to the medial border of the psoas major, behind which it divides into a
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Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) is a huge controlled vocabulary (or metadata system) for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books in the life sciences. Created and updated by the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM), it is used by the MEDLINE/PubMed
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vertebral column (backbone or spine) is a column of 34 vertebrae, the sacrum, intervertebral discs, and the coccyx situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by spinal discs. It houses the spinal cord in its spinal canal.
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For the anatomy term, see Subarachnoid space.


SubArachnoid Space is a San Francisco-based psychedelic rock band founded in 1996 by Mason Jones, the owner of the independent music label Charnel Music.
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spinal chord is a thin, tubular bundle of nerves that is an extension of the central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected by the bony vertebral column.
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The Vertebral Column (singular: vertebra) are the individual irregular bones that make up the spinal column (aka ischis) — a flexuous and flexible column.
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The Vertebral Column (singular: vertebra) are the individual irregular bones that make up the spinal column (aka ischis) — a flexuous and flexible column.
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H.O.R.S.E. is a form of poker commonly played at the high stakes tables of casinos. It consists of rounds of play cycling among:
  • Texas Hold 'em,
  • Omaha eight or better,
  • Razz,
  • Seven card Stud, and
  • Seven card stud E

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Latin}}} 
Official status
Official language of: Vatican City
Used for official purposes, but not spoken in everyday speech
Regulated by: Opus Fundatum Latinitas
Roman Catholic Church
Language codes
ISO 639-1: la
ISO 639-2: lat
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lumbar puncture (colloquially known as a spinal tap) is a diagnostic and at times therapeutic procedure that is performed in order to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for biochemical, microbiological, and cytological analysis, or—rarely—to relieve
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Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), Liquor cerebrospinalis, is a clear bodily fluid that occupies the subarachnoid space and the ventricular system around and inside the brain.
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MeSH C10.668.829.800.750.700 Cauda equina syndrome is a serious neurologic condition in which there is acute loss of function of the neurologic elements (nerve roots) of the spinal canal below the termination (conus) of the spinal cord.
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MedlinePlus is a website containing health information from the world's largest medical library, the United States National Library of Medicine. The site is intended to be used by health care providers and patients, and designed to provide up-to-date, authoritative information.
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The State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, better known as SUNY Downstate Medical Center, is an academic medical center and is the only one of its kind in the Borough of Brooklyn in New York City.
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Medical University of Vienna , formerly the faculty of medicine of the University of Vienna, became an independent university on January 1, 2004. The independence of medical schools from the structure of "general" universities was part of a larger reform of the Austrian university
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Torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies (including that of the human) from which extend the neck and limbs. It is sometimes referred to as the trunk. The torso includes the thorax and abdomen.
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spinal chord is a thin, tubular bundle of nerves that is an extension of the central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected by the bony vertebral column.
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The term spinal nerve generally refers to the mixed spinal nerve, which is formed from the dorsal and ventral roots that come out of the spinal cord. The spinal nerve is the bit that passes out of the vertebrae through the intervertebral foramen.
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In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root (or posterior root) is the afferent sensory root of a spinal nerve.

At the distal end of the dorsal root is the dorsal root ganglion, which contains the neuron cell bodies of the nerve fibres conveyed by the root.
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In anatomy and neurology, the dorsal root ganglion (or spinal ganglion) is a nodule on a dorsal root that contains cell bodies of neurons in afferent spinal nerves.

The axons of dorsal root ganglion neurons are known as afferents.
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The posterior (or dorsal) branches (or divisions) of the spinal nerves are as a rule smaller than the anterior divisions.

They are directed backward, and, with the exceptions of those of the first cervical, the fourth and fifth sacral, and the coccygeal, divide into medial
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In anatomy and neurology, the ventral root (or anterior root) is the efferent motor root of a spinal nerve.

At its distal end, the ventral root joins with the dorsal root to form a mixed spinal nerve.
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The ventral ramus (anterior ramus, anterior branch, anterior divisions of the spinal nerves) supply the antero-lateral parts of the trunk, and the limbs; they are for the most part larger than the posterior divisions.
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The sympathetic trunk (sympathetic chain, gangliated cord) is a bundle of nerve fibers that runs from the base of the skull to the coccyx. There are two sympathetic trunks in the body, a right one and a left one.
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Rami communicans (plural rami communicantes) is the term used for a nerve which connects two other nervers.

When used without further definition, it almost always refers to a communicating branch between a spinal nerve and the sympathetic trunk.
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Each spinal nerve receives a branch, gray ramus communicans, from the adjacent ganglion of the sympathetic trunk.

They contain unmyelinated postganglionic sympathetic fibers.
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The thoracic, and the first and second lumbar nerves each contribute a branch, white ramus communicans to the adjoining sympathetic ganglion.

They contain myelinated preganglionic sympathetic fibers (GVE and GVA).
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"Gray Matter"
Author Stephen King
Language English
Genre(s) Horror, science fiction
Published in Cavalier (1st release) ,
Night Shift,
Arbour House Necropolis
Publication type Magazine
Media type Print
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