What Is the Cauda Equina and Why Is It Given

question 27

Essay

What is the cauda equina and why is it given this name?

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Definitions:

Sinoatrial Node

A small body of specialized muscle tissue in the heart that acts as a natural pacemaker, initiating the heart's electrical impulses.

AV Node

A part of the electrical conduction system of the heart that delays the electrical impulse from the atria, allowing the ventricles time to fill with blood.

Atrioventricular Valves

Valves between the atria and ventricles of the heart that prevent the backflow of blood.

Semilunar Valves

Heart valves located at the bases of the large arteries that exit the heart (the aorta and the pulmonary artery); they prevent blood from flowing back into the heart's ventricles after contraction.