Mechanism of Craniovertebral Ligamentous System Injuries and Their Effect on Spinal Arteries Blood Flow (Experimental Study)

In 22 anatomic preparations of the cervical spine block various injuries of the ligamentous system were simulated and the evaluation of their effect upon the spinal arteries blood flow was per­formed. It has been shown that within craniovertebral segment the alar and transverse ligaments play the basic stabilizing role. Bending rotative, straightening rotative and bending mechanisms of injury may cause different volume of ligamentous system injuries. Three types of injuries have been detected: unilateral injury of the alar ligament, unilateral injury of the alar injury in combination with the transverse ligament injury and bilateral injury of the alar ligaments in combination with the transverse ligament injury. Injury of the upper cervical spine ligamentous structures results in the development of spine instability; especially in instability of atlantoaxial junction that causes dynamic compression of spinal arteries at atlantoaxial segment rotation.