cauda equina

The cauda equina is a bundle of nerve roots located at the end of the spinal cord. The spinal cord itself is an elongated structure extending from the medulla oblongata down to the first and second lumbar vertebrae. The terminal part of the spinal cord is known as the conus medullaris.12

The spinal cord is composed of white matter, which contains myelinated nerve fibers, and gray matter, which houses cell bodies and unmyelinated fibers. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves connect to the spinal cord, divided into cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal segments. The lumbar and sacral nerve roots descend within the spinal canal before exiting, forming the cauda equina at the conus medullaris. This bundle of nerves is crucial for transmitting signals to and from the lower body.12