Dermatome Map Shinglesshingles Uf Health University Of Florida Health

Dermatome Map Shinglesshingles Uf Health University Of Florida HealthThe term “dermatome” is a combination of 2 Ancient Greek words; “derma” indicating “skin”, and “tome”, suggesting “cutting” or “thin segment”. It is a location of skin which is innervated by the posterior (dorsal) root of a single back nerve. As posterior roots are arranged in sectors, dermatomes are also. This is why the term “dermatome” describes the segmental innervation of the skin.

Dermatome Map Shinglesshingles Uf Health University Of Florida Health

Cureus Primary Varicella Or Herpes Zoster An Educational Case Report From The Primary Care Clinic – Cureus Primary Varicella Or Herpes Zoster An Educational Case Report From The Primary Care Clinic

Surrounding dermatomes typically, if not constantly overlap to some degree with each other, as the sensory peripheral branches representing one posterior root typically surpass the limit of their dermatome. The thin lines seen in the dermatome maps are more of a medical guide than a genuine border. Dermatome Map Shinglesshingles Uf Health University Of Florida Health

This means that if a single back nerve is impacted, there is likely still some degree of innervation to that section of skin coming from above and below. For a dermatome to be completely numb, usually 2 or three surrounding posterior roots need to be impacted. In addition, it’s essential to note that dermatomes undergo a large degree of interindividual variation. A visual representation of all the dermatomes on a body surface area chart is referred to as a dermatome map. Dermatome Map Shinglesshingles Uf Health University Of Florida Health

Dermatome maps

Dermatome maps illustrate the sensory circulation of each dermatome throughout the body. Clinicians can examine cutaneous feeling with a dermatome map as a way to localize sores within central nervous tissue, injury to specific back nerves, and to identify the degree of the injury. A number of dermatome maps have been established over the years however are frequently clashing.

The most typically utilized dermatome maps in significant books are the Keegan and Garrett map (1948) which leans towards a developmental interpretation of this concept, and the Foerster map (1933) which correlates better with clinical practice. This article will evaluate the dermatomes using both maps, determining and comparing the major differences between them.

Why Are Dermatomes Important?

To comprehend dermatomes, it is essential to comprehend the anatomy of the spine. The spinal column is divided into 31 segments, each with a pair (right and left) of anterior and posterior nerve roots. The kinds of nerves in the anterior and posterior roots are various.

Anterior nerve roots are responsible for motor signals to the body, and posterior nerve roots get sensory signals like pain or other sensory symptoms. The posterior and anterior nerve roots integrate on each side to form the spinal nerves as they exit the vertebral canal (the bones of the spinal column, or backbone).