Morphofunctional peculiarities of the transverse processes of the axis, considerations on their pathogenetic significance.

The transverse process C2 plays an important role in the stabilization of the vertebral unit C2/C3 and the protection of the vertebral artery and the cervical spinal cord. The anatomical disposition of the transverse processes C2 and especially the lateral processes may be different from one subject to another. Certain anatomical variants of the transverse process can exert a negative effect on the stabilizing and protective function of the same. Our observations suggest that a maldevelopment or a lesion of the transverse process of the axis may induce extra stresses in the vertebral unit C2/C3 with subsequent development of a zygapophyseal arthrosis at this level. Any zygapophyseal arthrosis (uni- or bilaterally) should lead us to think of this possibility too.

The cervical locking mechanism. Its contribution to the cervical spine stability and to the vertebral artery and spinal cord safety. An anatomical study.

Investigations were conducted with macerated cervical vertebrae and human cadavers. During extension, lateral flexion, and rotation of the neck, the cervical transverse process engages to the top of the upper articular process of the subjacent vertebra, thus embodying the locking mechanism which plays an important role in the stabilization of the cervical spine and the protection of the integrity of vertebral arteries, spinal cord, and nerve roots. A deficiency of this locking mechanism may cause a vertebrobasilar insufficiency or a cervical myelopathy.

Contributions to the anatomy of the cervical spine. Functional and pathogenetic significance of certain structures of the cervical vertebrae.

Following the investigations carried out on about 350 macerated vertebrae by the dissection of 120 human cadavers, a number of structural pecularities of the cervical vertebrae are described, with special emphasis on their functional and pathogenetic significance. The most specific structures of the cervical vertebrae -- the transverse, unciform, and articular processes, and the vertebral pedicle -- embody from the ontogenetic, the morphofunctional and the pathogenetic point of view, a unity named the uncotransversoarticular complex. The components of this complex delimit the spinal nerve groove, the intervertebral canal and participate in the cervical locking mechanism, in this way contributing to the protection of the vasculonervous formations passing through the cervical spine. The osteovasculonervous relationships at the level of the intervertebral canal, the anatomical variants of the intervertebral canal as well as certain possibilities of the occurrence of a cervical locking deficiency are described.

Contribution to the clinical anatomy of the vertebral column. Considerations on the stability and the instability at the height of the "vertebral units".

Based on the findings with human cadaver material and the literature data, the concept of "vertebral unit" is discussed as a basic morphofunctional and pathogenic unit of the vertebral column. The vertebral structures collaborating to the stabilization of the vertebral units are described and a review is made of the possibilities of installation of a vertebral instability. An attempt is made to define the vertebral stability and instability.

Vagus nerve passing in front of the left lobe of the thyroid gland.

An anatomical variant of the left vagus nerve in reported which in its cervical portion passes in front of the carotid artery and the left lobe of the thyroid gland.

Relationships between the vertebral parameters C2--C6 during movement of the cervical "vertebral units" in the sagittal plane.

In the paper it is endeavoured to set up objective criteria for the detection of a qualitatively abnormal mobility of the cervical vertebral units. Three scalar parameters were chosed to characterize the position of a cervical vertebra in the sagittal plane. By the aid of the parameters, graphs were drawn illustrating the reciprocal functional dependence of the vertebral parameters. It is stated that a discontinuous variation of the angle between the straight lines shown in the Fig. 4 and 8 and the axis of abscissae can be taken as an objective criterion of a qualitatively abnormal movement of the cervical vertebral units.

Cardiac tumour in infant.

A case of an eighteen-month-old-infant who died in narcosis following an aortic obstruction by myxomatous tumour of the left ventricle is reported. Since his birth the infant exhibited cyanosis fits and cerebral manifestations due to an intermittent occlusion of the aorta. The result of the post-mortem examination pleads for including the cardiac myxoma amongst the true tumours.