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The facet joints (also zygapophysial joints, zygapophyseal, apophyseal, or Z-joints) are a set of synovial, plane joints between the articular processes of two adjacent vertebrae. There are two facet joints in each spinal motion segment and each facet joint is innervated by the recurrent meningeal nerves.
In the spine, there is bone formation along the anterior longitudinal ligament and sometimes the posterior longitudinal ligament, which may lead to partial or complete fusion of adjacent vertebrae. The facet and sacroiliac joints tend to be uninvolved. The thoracic spine is the most common level involved. [2]
Facet joints also prevent each vertebra from slipping over the one below. A small capsule surrounds each facet joint providing a nourishing lubricant for the joint. Also, each joint has a rich supply of tiny nerve fibers that provide a painful stimulus when the joint is injured or irritated. Inflamed facets can cause a powerful muscle spasm.
The pars interarticularis, or pars for short, is the part of a vertebra located between the inferior and superior articular processes of the facet joint. [1] [2] In the transverse plane, it lies between the lamina and pedicle. In other words, in the axial view, it is the bony mass between the facets that is anterior to the lamina and posterior ...
A flexion teardrop fracture is a fracture of the anteroinferior aspect of a cervical vertebral body due to flexion of the spine along with vertical axial compression. [1] The fracture continues sagittally through the vertebral body, and is associated with deformity of the body and subluxation or dislocation of the facet joints at the injured level. [2]
Joint arthritis, and ligamentum flavum weakness, may result in slippage of a vertebra. Degenerative forms are more likely to occur in women, persons older than fifty, and African Americans. [13] Traumatic anterolisthesis (also called type 4) is rare and results from acute fractures in the neural arch or facet joint structure, other than the ...
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Spinal ligaments can thicken (ligamenta flava) [24] [25] Bone spurs develop on the bone and into the spinal canal or foraminal openings; Intervertebral discs may bulge or herniate into the canal or foraminal openings [26] Degenerative disc disease causes narrowing of the spaces. [27] Facet joints break down; Facet joints may hypertrophy [28]