Intervertebral discs lie in between adjacent vertebrae in the spine. They are a cartilaginous joint, and allow movement of the vetebrae.
They consist of an outer annulus fibrosus, which surrounds the inner nucleus pulposus.
The nucleus pulposus is very fluid (like jelly), and acts like air in a pneumatic tyre. It can also shift slightly within the disc, depending on how the back is angled.
The annulus fibrosus consists of several layers of fibrocartilage, with the fibres of each layer running perpendicular its neighbours. (So it forms a criss-cross pattern). This is designed to be very strong.
As people age, the annulus fibrosus gets weaker, and the pulposus can herniate through it. This is called a slipped disc, and the nuclear pulposus may press against nerve roots, causing radicular pain.
Intervertebraldisks are located between the vertebral bodies starting at the second and third cervical vertebrae (C2-3) and extending to the seventh lumbar and first sacral vertebrae (L7-S1).
The dorsal annulus of the disk is approximately 1/3 the thickness of the ventral annulus; therefore the nucleus pulposus lies in the middle to the dorsal third of the disk.
Intervertebraldisk herniation is usually suspected based on the signalmen(breed, age, sex), history of appropriate clinical dysfunction, and a neurologic localization of the cervical or thoracolumbar areas.
Intervertebraldisks act as shock absorbers, protecting the brain and spinal cord from the impact produced by the body's movements.
If the disk itself has become fragmented and partially displaced, or is not fragmented but bulges extensively, the surgeon removes the damaged part of the disk and the part that lies in the space between the vertebrae.
Disk removal is performed by an orthopedic surgeon or neurosurgeon in a hospital setting.
Feeds |
Contact