Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes And Myotomes Anatomy Geeky Medics

Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes And Myotomes Anatomy Geeky MedicsThe term “dermatome” is a mix of 2 Ancient Greek words; “derma” suggesting “skin”, and “tome”, implying “cutting” or “thin section”. It is a location of skin which is innervated by the posterior (dorsal) root of a single spine nerve. As posterior roots are organized in sections, dermatomes are also. This is why the term “dermatome” describes the segmental innervation of the skin.

Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes And Myotomes Anatomy Geeky Medics

Dermatomes And Myotomes Sensation Anatomy Geeky Medics – Dermatomes And Myotomes Sensation Anatomy Geeky Medics

Surrounding dermatomes often, if not always overlap to some degree with each other, as the sensory peripheral branches corresponding to one posterior root generally surpass the limit of their dermatome. As such, the thin lines seen in the dermatome maps are more of a clinical guide than a genuine boundary. Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes And Myotomes Anatomy Geeky Medics

This indicates that if a single back nerve is affected, there is most likely still some degree of innervation to that sector of skin coming from above and listed below. For a dermatome to be entirely numb, usually 2 or 3 surrounding posterior roots need to be impacted. In addition, it’s essential to note that dermatomes go through a large degree of interindividual variation. A graphical representation of all the dermatomes on a body surface area chart is described as a dermatome map. Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes And Myotomes Anatomy Geeky Medics

Dermatome maps

Dermatome maps depict the sensory distribution of each dermatome throughout the body. Clinicians can examine cutaneous experience with a dermatome map as a method to localize sores within main worried tissue, injury to specific back nerves, and to determine the extent of the injury. A number of dermatome maps have actually been developed throughout the years but are typically clashing.

The most frequently used dermatome maps in major textbooks are the Keegan and Garrett map (1948) which leans towards a developmental analysis of this concept, and the Foerster map (1933) which associates better with medical practice. This article will review the dermatomes using both maps, identifying and comparing the significant distinctions in between them.

Why Are Dermatomes Important?

To comprehend dermatomes, it is important to comprehend the anatomy of the spinal column. The spinal column is divided into 31 sectors, each with a set (right and left) of posterior and anterior nerve roots. The kinds of nerves in the anterior and posterior roots are different.

Anterior nerve roots are responsible for motor signals to the body, and posterior nerve roots receive sensory signals like discomfort or other sensory signs. The anterior and posterior nerve roots combine on each side to form the spinal nerves as they leave the vertebral canal (the bones of the spinal column, or backbone).