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Atlantooccipital joint, atlantoaxial joint and cervical vertebrae dissected from behind

Median atlantoaxial joint; cruciform ligament; alar ligaments

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Image #218-1
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Atlantooccipital joint, atlantoaxial joint and cervical vertebrae dissected from behind
Median atlantoaxial joint; cruciform ligament; alar ligaments
The posterior longitudinal ligament and the tectorial membrane have been resected to reveal the cruciform ligament (22,26) and the alar ligaments (23). The anterior internal vertebral venous plexus has been partially removed from the left side of the dissection. The left half of the occipital bone had been cut back anteriorly to a plane that passes across the occipital condyle and opens into the hypoglossal canal (5) and the jugular foramen (3,4). Lower in the dissection the course of the first and second cervical nerves (10,12) is shown in relation to to the vertebral artery (9).
  1. Posterior semicircular canal
  2. Inferior petrosal sinus
  3. Upper pointer: Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) Lower pointer: Vagus nerve (X)
  4. Superior jugular venous bulb (jugular foramen opened, vein emptied of latex, and its anterior wall dissected to show artery to superior ganglion of vagus nerve)
  5. Roots of hypoglossal nerve (XII) (hypoglossal canal opened to reveal veins and fibrous tissue enclosing nerve)
  6. Occipital bone (cut across)
  7. Cervical prevertebral fascia (exposed by removal of lateral rectus capitis muscle)
  8. Atlantooccipital joint cavity
  9. Vertebral artery (cut across)
  10. Upper pointer: Ventral branch cervical nerve I Lower pointer: Groove for vertebral artery of atlas
  11. Inferior oblique capitis muscle (cut across)
  12. Spinal ganglion cervical nerve II
  13. Tendinous slip of longissimus cervicis muscle (cut across)
  14. Arch of axis (cut across)
  15. Joint capsule
  16. Dorsal branch cervical nerve III
  17. Levator scapulae muscle
  18. Trigeminal nerve (V)
  19. Vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)
  20. Clivus
  21. Dura mater (cut edge)
  22. Upper pointer: Posterior longitudinal ligament Lower pointer: Cruciform ligament of atlas (longitudinal fasciculi)
  23. Alar ligament (cut across on left)
  24. Position of dens (axis)
  25. Cut edge of tectorial membrane
  26. Transverse ligament of atlas (part of cruciform ligament)
  27. Dura mater