Car accident anatomy 101
Posted Saturday, July 14, 2007 by Ed Harper
In doing research for a case, I thought I could provide some terms for spinal anatomy. Most injuries arising in a car accident have a primary focus on the spine. As noted in my other posts, automobile accidents and the recovery from back injuries stemming from car accidents are the number one cause of disability in the United States. There are too many sources to mention in my research, however, Tabers Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary is on my desk and I regularly consult this handy book. Additionally, google.com and Wikipedia.org are great websites too when search for answers to your injury questions.
General anatomy terms
Anterior – front
Caudal – bottom
Cranial – head
Lateral side
Medial – toward center
Posterior/Dorsal – back
Inferior – down
Superior – up
Superficial – closer to skin
Deep – away from skin
Back Vocabulary
Spinal – pertaining the spine or spinal cord
Spinal Cord – an ovoid column of nervous tissue about 44 cm. long, flattened anteroposteriorly, extending from the medulla to the 2nd lumbar vertebra in the spinal canal. All nerves to the trunk and limbs are issued from the spinal cord, and it is the center of reflex action containing the conducting paths to and from the brain. (Tabers)
Spinal nerves – nerves arising from the spinal cord: 31 pairs, consisting of 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal, corresponding with the spinal vertebrae.
Spinal vertebrae or vertebral body – round portion that caries most of the weight. Hard cortex comprises the outer walls. The inside is filled with marrow. Marrow is a thick liquid of blood cells and tissues that make new blood cells.
Cervical – neck region
Thoracic – trunk region, or relative to part of spine between neck and waist
Lumbar – low back region
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