Anterior longitudinal ligament

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Anterior longitudinal ligament
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Median sagittal section of two lumbar vertebræ and their ligaments. (Anterior longitudinal ligament runs vertically at center left.)
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Anterior atlantooccipital membrane and atlantoaxial ligament. (Anterior longitudinal ligament runs vertically at bottom center.)
Details
System skeletal
Frominferior basilar portion of occipital bone
To sacrum
Identifiers
Latin ligamentum longitudinale anterius
TA98 A03.2.01.007
TA2 1679
FMA 31893
Anatomical terminology

The anterior longitudinal ligament is a ligament that extends across the anterior/ventral aspect of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs the spine.

Contents

It may be partially cut to treat certain abnormal curvatures in the vertebral column, such as kyphosis.

Anatomy

The anterior longitudinal ligament extends superoinferiorly between the basiocciput of the skull and the anterior tubercle of the atlas (cervical vertebra C1) superiorly, and the superior part of the sacrum inferiorly; [1] inferiorly, it ends at the sacral promontory. [2] It broadens inferiorly. [1] Inferiorly, it becomes continuous with the anterior sacrococcygeal ligament. [3] Superiorly, between the skull and atlas, the ligament is continuous laterally with the anterior atlantooccipital membrane. [4]

The ligament is thick and slightly more narrow over the vertebral bodies and thinner but slightly wider over the intervertebral discs. [5]

It tends to be narrower and thicker around thoracic vertebrae, and wider and thinner around cervical vertebrae and lumbar vertebrae. [5]

Structure

The anterior longitudinal ligament adheres strongly to the periosteum of the vertebral bodies, but is less strongly connected with the intervertebral discs. [1]

It has three layers: superficial, intermediate and deep. The superficial layer traverses 3 – 4 vertebrae, the intermediate layer covers 2 – 3 and the deep layer is only between individual vertebrae.[ citation needed ]

Clinical significance

The anterior longitudinal ligament may become calcified, causing back pain. [6]

Surgical release

The anterior longitudinal ligament may be "released", or partially cut, between two adjacent vertebrae. [7] This may be done to treat abnormal curvature in the vertebral column, such as kyphosis. [7] Osteoporosis, some infections, and past back surgery may prevent this surgery. [7]

Additional images

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sinnatamby C (2011). Last's Anatomy (12th ed.). p. 424. ISBN   978-0-7295-3752-0.
  2. ↑ Kadasne, D. K. (2009). Kadasne's Textbook of Anatomy (1st ed.). New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers. p. 371. ISBN   978-81-8448-455-7. OCLC   682534511.
  3. ↑ "anterior sacrococcygeal ligament". TheFreeDictionary.com. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  4. ↑ Moore, Keith L.; Dalley, Arthur F.; Agur, Anne M. R. (2018). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (8th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. p. 99. ISBN   978-1-4963-4721-3.
  5. 1 2 Kayalioglu, Gulgun (2009). "3 - The Vertebral Column and Spinal Meninges". The spinal cord : a Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation text and atlas (1st ed.). Amsterdam: Elsevier / Academic Press. pp. 17–36. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-374247-6.50007-9. ISBN   978-0-08-092138-9. OCLC   500570905.
  6. ↑ Giles, Lynton G. F. (2009). "Case 92 - Post-traumatic anterior longitudinal ligament calcification". 100 challenging spinal pain syndrome cases (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier / Churchill Livingstone. pp. 425–427. doi:10.1016/B978-0-443-06716-7.00092-X. ISBN   978-0-7020-4271-3. OCLC   460883276.
  7. 1 2 3 Sardar, Zeeshan M.; Baron, Eli M.; Davis, Timothy; Anand, Neel (2018). "Procedure 41 - The Transpsoas Approach for Thoracolumbar Interbody Fusion". Operative Techniques: Spine surgery (3rd ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier. pp. 358–370. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-40066-4.00041-2. ISBN   978-0-323-48391-9. OCLC   964627490.
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