In anatomy, the epidural space is the potential space between the two layers of the dura mater (the outermost meningeal layer that covers the brain and spinal cord).

What space is above the dura mater?

In anatomy, the epidural space is the potential space between the two layers of the dura mater (the outermost meningeal layer that covers the brain and spinal cord).

What is outside the dura mater?

The epidural space is a vertical casing outside the dura mater containing fat, areolar tissue, and a network of veins.

What is the medical term for above the dura?

Epidural means outside the dura. An accumulation of blood outside the dura is an epidural hematoma.

What comes after the dura mater?

Dura mater is a thick membrane made of dense irregular connective tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It is the outermost of the three layers of membrane called the meninges that protect the central nervous system. The other two meningeal layers are the arachnoid mater and the pia mater.

What is the pia mater?

The pia mater is the meningeal envelope that firmly adheres to the surface of the brain and spinal cord. It is a very thin membrane composed of fibrous tissue covered on its outer surface by a sheet of flat cells thought to be impermeable to fluid.…

What is the cauda?

Cauda is Latin for tail, and equina is Latin for horse (ie, the “horse’s tail”). The CE provides sensory innervation to the saddle area, motor innervation to the sphincters, and parasympathetic innervation to the bladder and lower bowel (ie, from the left splenic flexure to the rectum).

What is the medical term for listlessness and drowsiness?

Lethargy and somnolence describe severe drowsiness, listlessness, and apathy accompanied by reduced alertness.

Why is dura mater called tough mother?

Definition: dura mater. The outermost layer of three meninges, or membranes, that surround the spinal cord and the brain. In Latin, it means “tough mother.” The name is apt, because the membrane is thick and strong, and normally firmly attached to the inner side of the skull.

What does Dural mean?

: of or relating to the dura mater.

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What is the Forum Magnum?

The foramen magnum (Latin: great hole) is a large, oval-shaped opening in the occipital bone of the skull. It is one of the several oval or circular openings (foramina) in the base of the skull. … It also transmits the accessory nerve into the skull. The foramen magnum is a very important feature in bipedal mammals.

What is the subdural space?

The subdural space is a potential intracranial space situated between the arachnoid and dura. Fluid can collect in the subdural space and in the subarachnoid space.

What would happen if the cerebellum was damaged?

Damage to the cerebellum can lead to: 1) loss of coordination of motor movement (asynergia), 2) the inability to judge distance and when to stop (dysmetria), 3) the inability to perform rapid alternating movements (adiadochokinesia), 4) movement tremors (intention tremor), 5) staggering, wide based walking (ataxic gait …

Where does the pia mater end?

In the brain, this ends up in the interstitial space. The protein portions are able to leave through the very permeable pia mater and enter the subarachnoid space in order to flow in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), eventually ending up in the cerebral veins.

How do you know if your spinal fluid is leaking?

1. Positional headaches, which feel worse when sitting upright and better when lying down; caused by intracranial hypotension.
2. Nausea and vomiting.
3. Neck pain or stiffness.
4. Change in hearing (muffled, ringing in the ears)
5. Sense of imbalance.
6. Photophobia (sensitivity to light)

What is spinal dura?

The spinal dura mater is a fibrous, non-adherent, tough layer surrounding the spinal cord. It is separated from the wall of the vertebral canal by the epidural space. … The subdural space separates the spinal dura mater from the arachnoid mater.

What is cord equina?

The corda equina carries nerves which control the bladder and bowel. The cauda equina also carries nerves which control movement of the legs, and nerves which sense light touch and pain in the legs or around the back passage (perineum).

At what level does cauda equina start?

The cauda equina is a group of nerves and nerve roots stemming from the distal end of the spinal cord, typically levels L1-L5 and contains axons of nerves that give both motor and sensory innervation to the legs, bladder, anus, and perineum.

Why does the cauda equina form?

The cauda equina is formed by the continuation of nerve fibers beyond the spinal cord. Compression of the cauda equina, such as by a herniated disc, may cause severe pain and numbness in both legs.

What is the GREY matter?

Anatomical terminology. Grey matter (or gray matter) is a major component of the central nervous system, consisting of neuronal cell bodies, neuropil (dendrites and unmyelinated axons), glial cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), synapses, and capillaries.

Is a medulla oblongata?

Medulla oblongataSection of the medulla oblongata at about the middle of the olivary bodyDetailsPart ofBrain stemIdentifiers

What is the subarachnoid space?

The subarachnoid space consists of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), major blood vessels, and cisterns. … The cisterns are created due to the close and firm adherence of the pia mater to the brain and spinal cord surface while rather loosely to the arachnoid mater.

What are the major folds in the dura?

The dura folds to form septa that create the falx cerebri, tentorium cerebelli, falx cerebelli, and diaphragma sellae.

Is the dura mater vascular?

The dura mater has its own arterial blood supply, venous drainage, and innervation that will be reviewed.

What are the 3 layers of the brain?

Three layers of membranes known as meninges protect the brain and spinal cord. The delicate inner layer is the pia mater. The middle layer is the arachnoid, a web-like structure filled with fluid that cushions the brain. The tough outer layer is called the dura mater.

What does it mean when a patient is Obtunded?

(ob-tun-DAY-shun) A dulled or reduced level of alertness or consciousness.

What is the medical term for burning sensation of pain?

Neuralgia is burning and stabbing pain that occurs along a damaged or irritated nerve. The affected nerve may be anywhere in the body, but it’s most often in the face or neck. Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder that develops when a peripheral nerve is damaged, affecting its ability to function correctly.

What medical term describes an abnormal sensation such as burning or prickling in the extremities?

Paresthesia describes abnormal burning or prickling sensations that are usually felt in the arms, hands, legs, or feet, but may also occur in other parts of the body. The sensation is usually painless and may be described as tingling, numbness, skin crawling, or itching.

What is dural pain?

The mechanism of dural pain is dual. The original concept was quite simple: a subluxated (but of itself painless) component of the disc impinges on the dura or the dural sleeves of the nerve roots. These pain-sensitive structures translate the anatomical changes into back pain or root pain, respectively (Fig. 33.1).

What is the adjective of dura?

dural. / (ˈdjʊərəl) / adjective. relating to or affecting the dura mater.

What is dura repair?

Dural tears are repaired using microsurgical techniques – using a microscope and a fine needle. Small dural tears are sutured or stapled close, while larger ones are reconstructed with a patch or graft. Fat or fibrin glue may be used as a sealant to reinforce the repair.