What Is the Ligamentum Flavum?
The ligamentum flavum participates in forming the posterior wall of the spinal canal, connecting the adjacent upper and lower vertebral arch plates, starting at C2, ending at S1, and existing in sections.
- Chinese name
- Yellow ligament
- Foreign name
- ligamenta flava
- Nature
- Part of the body
- Features
- Thickening causes compression of spinal nerves
- The ligamentum flavum participates in forming the posterior wall of the spinal canal, connecting the adjacent upper and lower vertebral arch plates, starting at C2, ending at S1, and existing in sections.
Overview of the ligamentum flavum
- From the perspective of tissue structure, the ligamentum flavum is composed of a large number of elastic fibers and collagen fibers. The two fibers are located at different levels, the same fibers are parallel to each other, and the directions of the collagen fibers and the elastic fibers are staggered. When stretched, the two fibers are closed like scissors and become parallel to each other. This histological characteristic of the ligamentum flavum determines its unique elasticity: that is, it can stretch and become thinner and thinner when it is stretched; when the push plates are close to each other, they can be shortened without forming folds and protruding into the spinal canal.
Start and stop of ligamentum flavum and attachment
- The start and stop of the ligamentum flavum and their attachments are more accurately described by Warwiok, Jia Lianshun, and Yu Tianquan. The ligamentum flavus is attached to the lower half in front of the upper lamina, and it is attached to the back and the upper edge of the lower lamina. The ligamentum flavum attachment can extend to the intermuscular joint capsule to the medial lamina and form a spine. Burst. On both sides of the ligamentum flavum, a narrow longitudinal gap is left at the confluence of the midline, and a vein flows back from the spinal canal to the posterolateral plexus of the spine through this gap. Yu Tianquan et al. Studied the attachment of the lumbar juvenile ligamentum flavum, and pointed out that the inner half of the lumbar spinal plate was smooth and the lower half was rough, with a "V" thick line in between. The two ends of this line are from the base of the inferior joint process on both sides and the base of the push arch, and merge down to the middle of the inner side of the spinous process root. Based on this, Yu Quan and others proposed that the upper marginal opening of the ligamentum flavum was used as the path of lumbar disc surgery, bite the push plate outside the ligamentum flavum, and then remove the ligamentum flavum directly under the dura mater to prevent damage to the dura mater. Traditional fenestration cuts the ligament above or below the midline of the ligamentum flavum. When the person pushes the tube a little too deep, it can damage the dura mater. Yu also proposed that the narrowing of the lumbar push tube caused by hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum, it is advisable to remove the lower 1/2 of the adjacent upper juvenile plate and the upper 1/4 of the lower lamina, and at the same time remove the yellow ligament. The area where the ligamentum flavum is attached can be divided into four areas according to its tissue structure, namely the fibrous area, fibrocartilage area, mineral-containing area and bone area. From the fibrous area to the bone area can be understood as a process of gradual ossification, which is the inherent basis of ossification of the ligamentum flavum. Due to the effects of various factors that cause degeneration of the ligament, the bone area is eventually expanded to the ligament area, and the ligamentum flavum loses its elasticity due to structural changes and thickens and hardens.