"Coccyx fracture A coccyx fracture is a fracture of the coccyx, commonly called a 'broken tailbone' or ‘puzzle fracture.’ The coccyx is located at the base of the spine, under the sacrum. It is the last section of the ape vertebral column. Most commonly in humans it comprises 3 to 5 fused (or, more rarely, separate) vertebrae, and is approximately 4 to 10 cm in length. The coccyx is attached to the sacrum by a fibrocartilaginous joint, called the sacrococcygeal symphysis, allowing for some (but little) movement. Causes of coccyx fracture can vary greatly, but are most commonly confined to"
"Anococcygeal body The anococcygeal body (anococcygeal ligament, or anococcygeal raphe) is a fibrous median raphe in the floor of the pelvis, which extends between the coccyx and the margin of the anus. It is composed of fibers of the levator ani muscle which unite with the muscle of the opposite side, muscle fibres from external anal sphincter and fibrous connective tissue. The fibers of the levator ani pass downward and backward to the middle line of the floor of the pelvis; the most posterior are inserted into the side of the last two segments of the coccyx; those placed more"
"Coccyx The coccyx, which is commonly referred to as the tailbone, is the final segment of the vertebral column in all apes, and analogous structures in certain other mammals such as horses. In tailless primates (e.g. humans and other great apes) since ""Nacholapithecus"" (a Miocene hominoid), the coccyx is the remnant of a vestigial tail. In animals with bony tails, it is known as ""tailhead"" or ""dock"", in bird anatomy as ""tailfan"". It comprises three to five separate or fused coccygeal vertebrae below the sacrum, attached to the sacrum by a fibrocartilaginous joint, the sacrococcygeal symphysis, which permits limited movement"
"and nerve. The fibers pass downward and backward to the middle line of the floor of the pelvis; the most posterior are inserted into the side of the last two segments of the coccyx; those placed more anteriorly unite with the muscle of the opposite side, in a median fibrous ridge called the anococcygeal body or raphe, which extends between the coccyx and the margin of the anus. The middle fibers are inserted into the side of the rectum, blending with the fibers of the sphincter muscles; lastly in the male, the anterior fibers descend upon the side of the"
"Coccygeal glomus The coccygeal glomus (coccygeal gland or body; Luschka’s gland) is a vestigial structure placed in front of, or immediately below, the tip of the coccyx. It is about 2.5 mm. in diameter and is irregularly oval in shape; several smaller nodules are found around or near the main mass. It consists of irregular masses of round or polyhedral cells epitheloid cells, which are grouped around a dilated sinusoidal capillary vessel. Each cell contains a large round or oval nucleus, the protoplasm surrounding which is clear, and is not stained by chromic salts. Since it is not stained by"
"Coccydynia Coccydynia is a medical term meaning pain in the coccyx or tailbone area, often brought on by a fall onto the coccyx or by persistent irritation usually from sitting. Coccydynia is also known as coccygodynia, coccygeal pain, coccyx pain, or coccalgia. Coccydynia occurs in the lowest part of the spine, the coccyx, which is believed to be a vestigial tail, or in other words the “tail bone”. The name coccyx is derived from the Greek word for cuckoo due to its beak like appearance. The coccyx itself is made up of 3 to 5 vertebrae, some of which may"
"Coccydynia Coccydynia is a medical term meaning pain in the coccyx or tailbone area, often brought on by a fall onto the coccyx or by persistent irritation usually from sitting. Coccydynia is also known as coccygodynia, coccygeal pain, coccyx pain, or coccalgia. Coccydynia occurs in the lowest part of the spine, the coccyx, which is believed to be a vestigial tail, or in other words the “tail bone”. The name coccyx is derived from the Greek word for cuckoo due to its beak like appearance. The coccyx itself is made up of 3 to 5 vertebrae, some of which may"
"tail, even when such an appendage is located where the tail would be expected. Humans have a ""tail bone"" (the coccyx) attached to the pelvis, formed of fused vertebrae, usually four, at the bottom of the vertebral column. It does not protrude externally. Tail The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds. While tails are primarily a feature of vertebrates, some invertebrates"
"from above downward. Most anatomy books incorrectly state that the coccyx is normally fused in adults. In fact it has been shown that the coccyx may consist of up to five separate bony segments, the most common configuration being two or three segments. The anterior surface is slightly concave and marked with three transverse grooves that indicate the junctions of the different segments. It gives attachment to the anterior sacrococcygeal ligament and the levatores ani and supports part of the rectum. The posterior surface is convex, marked by transverse grooves similar to those on the anterior surface, and presents on"
"cases the sclerites are fused to various degrees. Thorax The thorax or chest (from the Greek θώραξ ""thorax"" ""breastplate, cuirass, corslet"" via ) is a part of the anatomy of humans and various other animals located between the neck and the abdomen. The thorax includes the thoracic cavity and the thoracic wall. It contains organs including the heart, lungs, and thymus gland, as well as muscles and various other internal structures. Many diseases may affect the chest, and one of the most common symptoms is chest pain. In humans and other hominids, the thorax is the chest region of the"
"Thorax The thorax or chest (from the Greek θώραξ ""thorax"" ""breastplate, cuirass, corslet"" via ) is a part of the anatomy of humans and various other animals located between the neck and the abdomen. The thorax includes the thoracic cavity and the thoracic wall. It contains organs including the heart, lungs, and thymus gland, as well as muscles and various other internal structures. Many diseases may affect the chest, and one of the most common symptoms is chest pain. In humans and other hominids, the thorax is the chest region of the body between the neck and the abdomen, along"
"Calyx (anatomy) Calyx is a term used in animal anatomy for some cuplike areas or structures. Latin, from ""calyx"" (from Ancient Greek ""κάλυξ, ""case of a bud, husk""). The spicules containing the basal portion of the upper tentacular part of the polyp of some soft corals (also called ""calice""). A body part of the Entoprocta from which tentacles arise and the mouth and anus are located. The body disk that is covered with a leathery tegumen containing calcareous plates (in crinoids and ophiuroids the main part of the body where the viscera are located). Either a minor calyx in the"
"often diagnosed when the coccyx is in fact normal or just dislocated at an intercoccygeal joint. A simple test to determine whether the coccyx is involved is injection of local anesthetic into the area. If the pain relates to the coccyx, this should produce immediate relief. If the anesthetic test proves positive, then a dynamic (sit/stand) x-ray or MRI scan may show whether the coccyx dislocates when the patient sits. Use of dynamic x-rays on 208 patients who gave positive results with the anesthetic test showed: This study found that the pattern of lesions was different depending on the obesity"
"between the sacrum and the coccyx. The coccyx is formed of either three, four or five rudimentary vertebrae. It articulates superiorly with the sacrum. In each of the first three segments may be traced a rudimentary body and articular and transverse processes; the last piece (sometimes the third) is a mere nodule of bone. The transverse processes are most prominent and noticeable on the first coccygeal segment. All the segments lack pedicles, laminae and spinous processes. The first is the largest; it resembles the lowest sacral vertebra, and often exists as a separate piece; the remaining ones diminish in size"
"and shape which could suggest it is not vestigial. Researchers deduce that the appendix has the ability to protect good bacteria in the gut. That way, when the gut is affected by a bout of diarrhea or other illness that cleans out the intestines, the good bacteria in the appendix can repopulate the digestive system and keep the person healthy. The coccyx, or tailbone, is the remnant of a lost tail. All mammals have a tail at some point in their development; in humans, it is present for a period of 4 weeks, during stages 14 to 22 of human"
"a shallow depression (fossa) on the surface between the sacrum and the perineum, located in the intergluteal cleft that runs from just below the sacrum to the perineum. It does not always appear. The coccygeal fossa marks the deepest part of the pelvic floor, next to the coccyx. The levator ani ascends from here. The extensor coccygis is a slender muscle fascicle, which is not always present. It extends over the lower part of the posterior surface of the sacrum and coccyx. It arises by tendinous fibers from the last segment of the sacrum, or first piece of the coccyx,"
"anteriorly unite with the muscle of the opposite side, in the anococcygeal body. Anococcygeal body The anococcygeal body (anococcygeal ligament, or anococcygeal raphe) is a fibrous median raphe in the floor of the pelvis, which extends between the coccyx and the margin of the anus. It is composed of fibers of the levator ani muscle which unite with the muscle of the opposite side, muscle fibres from external anal sphincter and fibrous connective tissue. The fibers of the levator ani pass downward and backward to the middle line of the floor of the pelvis; the most posterior are inserted into"
"and the pubic tubercle). Traditionally, either one of these 2 sites was claimed as its location. However, this claim is based upon the study's dissection of 52 cadavers, and may not reflect the live ""in vivo"" anatomy. Some sources state that it is at the layer of the transversalis fascia. It is of an oval form, the long axis of the oval being vertical; it varies in size in different subjects, and is much larger in the male than in the female. It is bounded, above and laterally, by the arched lower margin of the transversalis fascia; below and medially,"
"Neck The neck is the part of the body, on many vertebrates, that separates the head from the torso. It contains blood vessels and nerves that supply structures in the head to the body. These in humans include part of the esophagus, the larynx, trachea, and thyroid gland, major blood vessels including the carotid arteries and jugular veins, and the top part of the spinal cord. In anatomy, the neck is also called by its Latin names, cervix or collum, although when used alone, in context, the word ""cervix"" more often refers to the uterine cervix, the neck of the"
"nervous system (CNS) and motor impulses from the CNS to the pelvis that control the movements of these pelvic organs. The coccygeal nerve is the 31st pair of spinal nerves. It arises from the conus medullaris, and its anterior root helps form the coccygeal plexus. It does not divide into a medial and lateral branch. It is distributed to the skin over the back of the coccyx. The muscles that one particular spinal root supplies are that nerve's myotome, and the dermatomes are the areas of sensory innervation on the skin for each spinal nerve. Lesions of one or more"
"between its own healthy cells and transplanted tissues, diseased cells, or invading organisms. Included in the glycocalyx are cell-adhesion molecules that enable cells to adhere to each other and guide the movement of cells during embryonic development. The glycocalyx plays a major role in regulation of endothelial vascular tissue, including the modulation of red blood cell volume in capillaries. The slime on the outside of a fish is an example of glycocalyx. The term was initially applied to the polysaccharide matrix coating epithelial cells, but its functions have been discovered to go well beyond that. The glycocalyx is located on"
"Crotch In humans, the crotch is the bottom of the pelvis, the region of the body where the legs join the torso, and is often considered to include the groin and genitals. ""Crotch"" is derived from ""crutch""; it ""was first used in 1539 to refer to a forked stick used as a farm implement."" This region of the body is also described with other terms such as ""groin"" or the lower ventral area. The human crotch has been depicted in artwork. In Paleolithic art, forms called tectiforms or quadrilaterals have sometimes been interpreted to be ""quick visual guides, reminders to"
"be fused together. The ventral side of the coccyx is slightly concave whereas the dorsal aspect is slightly convex. Both of these sides have transverse grooves that show where the vestigial coccygeal units had previously fused. The coccyx attaches the sacrum, from the dorsal grooves with the attachment being either a symphysis or as a true synovial joint, and also to the gluteus maximus muscle, the coccygeal muscle, and the anococcygeal ligament. There are four different orientations for the coccyx, as described by Postacchini and Massobrio. In type I the coccyx is curved anteriorly with its apex facing downward and"
"the coccyx. The spinal cord is the main pathway for information connecting the brain and peripheral nervous system. The length of the spinal cord is much shorter than the length of the bony spinal column. The human spinal cord extends from the foramen magnum and continues through to the conus medullaris near the second lumbar vertebra, terminating in a fibrous extension known as the filum terminale. It is about 45 cm (18 in) long in men and around 43 cm (17 in) in women, ovoid-shaped, and is enlarged in the cervical and lumbar regions. The cervical enlargement, located from C3"
"surrounding ligaments and muscles, resulting in inflammation of tissues and pain. A number of different conditions can cause pain in the general area of the coccyx, but not all involve the coccyx and the muscles attached to it. The first task of diagnosis is to determine whether the pain is related to the coccyx. Physical rectal examination, high resolution x-rays and MRI scans can rule out various causes unrelated to the coccyx, such as Tarlov cysts and pain referred from higher up the spine. Note that, contrary to most anatomical textbooks, most coccyxes consist of several segments: 'fractured coccyx' is"
"joint with the sacrum. The coccyx is cut away from the surrounding tissues, cut off at the joint with the sacrum, and removed. If the tip of the sacrum is rough, it is filed down. The wound is closed in layers. As with any operation under anaesthetic, there are risks associated with general anaesthesia itself. An additional possible complication of coccygectomy is infection at the surgical site, due to the site's proximity to the anus, leading to contamination by bacteria from the patient's feces. An analysis of 24 studies of coccygectomy (covering 702 patients) reported that 19 studies (covering 493"
"the coccyx. From behind, the vertebral column presents in the median line the spinous processes. In the cervical region (with the exception of the second and seventh vertebrae) these are short, horizontal and bifid. In the upper part of the thoracic region they are directed obliquely downward; in the middle they are almost vertical, and in the lower part they are nearly horizontal. In the lumbar region they are nearly horizontal. The spinous processes are separated by considerable intervals in the lumbar region, by narrower intervals in the neck, and are closely approximated in the middle of the thoracic region."
"and ligaments. However, these muscles, tendons and ligaments are also attached at many other points, to stronger structures than the coccyx. The claim that the coccyx attachments are important to the well-being of humans is cast into doubt by the large number of cases of coccygectomy for coccydynia. Reviews of studies covering more than 700 operations found the operation was successful in relieving pain in 84% of cases. These studies did not identify any disadvantage to patients caused by the absence of a coccyx. Injuring the coccyx can give rise to a painful condition called coccydynia and one or more"
"the coccyx, formed from 3-5 fused vertebrae. If you count the coccyx and sacrum each as one vertebra, then there are 26 vertebrae. If the fused vertebrae are all counted separately, then the total number of vertebrae comes to between 32 and 34. The vertebral column consists of 5 parts. The most cranial (uppermost) part is made up by the cervical vertebrae (7), followed by thoracic (12), lumbar (5), sacral (4–5) and coccygeal vertebrae (3–4). Cervical vertebrae make up the junction between the vertebral column and the cranium. Sacral and coccygeal vertebras are fused and thus often called ""sacral bone"""
"ever removed was 26 cm long. The appendix is usually located in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen, near the right hip bone. The base of the appendix is located 2 cm beneath the ileocecal valve that separates the large intestine from the small intestine. Its position within the abdomen corresponds to a point on the surface known as McBurney's point. The appendix is connected to the mesentery in the lower region of the ileum, by a short region of the mesocolon known as the mesoappendix. Some identical twins—known as mirror image twins—can have a mirror-imaged anatomy, a congenital"
"Sacrococcygeal symphysis The sacrococcygeal symphysis (sacrococcygeal articulation, articulation of the sacrum and coccyx) is an amphiarthrodial joint, formed between the oval surface at the apex of the sacrum, and the base of the coccyx. It is a slightly moveable joint which is frequently, partially or completely, obliterated in old age, homologous with the joints between the bodies of the vertebrae. The sacrococcygeal disc or interosseus ligament is similar to the intervertebral discs but thinner, thicker in front and behind than at the sides, and with a firmer texture. The articular surfaces are elliptical with longer transversal axes. The surface on"
"caudally. In type II this forward curvature is more dramatic and the apex extends forward. Type III is where the coccyx angles forward sharply. Lastly, type IV is characterized by the coccyx being subluxated at the sacrococcygeal joint. There are common pathophysiological ways that a person may develop coccydynia. The two main causes for this condition are sudden impact due to fall, and coccydynia caused by childbirth pressure in women. Other ways that coccydynia develops are partial dislocation of the sacrococcygeal synchondrosis that can possibly result in abnormal movement of the coccyx from excessive sitting, and repetitive trauma of the"
"Pharynx The pharynx (plural: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity and above the esophagus and larynx, or the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs. It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates, though its structure varies across species. In humans, the pharynx is part of the digestive system and the conducting zone of the respiratory system. (The conducting zone—which also includes the nostrils of the nose, the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles—filters, warms and moistens air and conducts it into the lungs.) The pharynx makes up the part of the throat"