Question

1) What are the structures that encircle an intervertebral foramen?

2) Abnormalities in these structures make the foramen narrower and compress the contents. What are the likely consequences of this abnormality?

Answer 1

Answer 1:

Intervertebral foramen is an opening between two spinal vertebrae. It is encircled by superior and inferior vertebral notch, intervertebral disc, zygaposphysial joint. Spinal nerve and vessels passes through intervertebral foramen.

Answer 2:

Abnormalities in these structures makes the foramen narrower and compresses it's contents. Intervertebral disc prolapse or osteophytes formed due to degeneration of zygaposphysial joint causes stenosis of intervertebral foramen. The stenosis is the narrowing of the space of foramen due to which spinal nerves and vessels which passes through intervertebral foramen gets compressed and their function gets impaired or compromised.