Morphofunctional peculiarities of the transverse processes of the axis, considerations on their pathogenetic significance.

The transverse process C2 plays an important role in the stabilization of the vertebral unit C2/C3 and the protection of the vertebral artery and the cervical spinal cord. The anatomical disposition of the transverse processes C2 and especially the lateral processes may be different from one subject to another. Certain anatomical variants of the transverse process can exert a negative effect on the stabilizing and protective function of the same. Our observations suggest that a maldevelopment or a lesion of the transverse process of the axis may induce extra stresses in the vertebral unit C2/C3 with subsequent development of a zygapophyseal arthrosis at this level. Any zygapophyseal arthrosis (uni- or bilaterally) should lead us to think of this possibility too.