C6 — sixth cervical vertebra (Vertebra cervicalis sexta)
Educational content only — not medical advice.
Anatomy
C6, the sixth of seven cervical vertebrae: a small saddle-like body, a large vertebral foramen, and a transverse process perforated by the vertebral artery. Its large anterior tubercle of the transverse process — the carotid tubercle (Chassaignac) — is against which the common carotid artery is compressed to control bleeding.
Clinical notes
Disc herniation at C6–C7 compresses the C7 nerve root, causing arm pain in a characteristic dermatome and weakness pattern.
Related structures
Educational references
FAQ
What is the role of the C6 — sixth cervical vertebra?
C6, the sixth of seven cervical vertebrae: a small saddle-like body, a large vertebral foramen, and a transverse process perforated by the vertebral artery. Its large anterior tubercle of the transverse process — the carotid tubercle (Chassaignac) — is against which the common carotid artery is compressed to control bleeding.
Why is the C6 — sixth cervical vertebra clinically important?
Disc herniation at C6–C7 compresses the C7 nerve root, causing arm pain in a characteristic dermatome and weakness pattern.
Source & license
Derived from Z-Anatomy (Gauthier Kervyn et al.), CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); upstream geometry from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science. license details