Arcuate foramen

In human anatomy, arcuate foramen, also known as ponticulus posticus (Latin for "little posterior bridge"), refers to a bony bridge on the atlas (C1 vertebra) that covers the groove for the vertebral artery. It is a common anatomic variant and estimated to occur in approximately 3-15% of the population.cite journal |author=Cushing K, Ramesh V, Gardner-Medwin D, Todd N, Gholkar A, Baxter P, Griffiths P |title=Tethering of the vertebral artery in the congenital arcuate foramen of the atlas vertebra: a possible cause of vertebral artery dissection in children |journal=Dev Med Child Neurol |volume=43 |issue=7 |pages=491–6 |year=2001 |pmid=11463182 |doi=10.1017/S0012162201000901 [http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FDMC%2FDMC43_07%2FS0012162201000901a.pdf&code=a727272ac862fe550e7fa9d615b280fd Full Text] .] cite journal |author=Cakmak O, Gurdal E, Ekinci G, Yildiz E, Cavdar S |title=Arcuate foramen and its clinical significance |journal=Saudi Med J |volume=26 |issue=9 |pages=1409–13 |year=2005 |pmid=16155658] [cite journal |author=Young J, Young P, Ackermann M, Anderson P, Riew K |title=The ponticulus posticus: implications for screw insertion into the first cervical lateral mass |journal=J Bone Joint Surg Am |volume=87 |issue=11 |pages=2495–8 |year=2005 |pmid=16264126 |doi=10.2106/JBJS.E.00184] Females are more commonly affected than males. [cite journal |author=Stubbs D |title=The arcuate foramen. Variability in distribution related to race and sex |journal=Spine |volume=17 |issue=12 |pages=1502–4 |year=1992 |pmid=1471009]

Pathology

The presence of arcuate foramen is associated with headache, musculoskeletal pain and vertebrobasilar stroke.

References

External links

* [http://www.medcyclopaedia.com/library/topics/volume_vii/p/ponticulus_posticus.aspx Ponticulus posticus] - medcyclopaedia.com
* [http://www.medcyclopaedia.com/library/topics/volume_vi_1/p/ponticulus.aspx Ponticulus] - medcyclopaedia.com