Cervical Myelopathy
Overview
Cervical myelopathy is a form of myelopathy that involves compression of the spinal cord in the cervical spine (neck). It is a neurological impairment that causes spinal cord dysfunction in older adults. The most recommended cervical myelopathy treatment.
What Causes Cervical Myelopathy?
The causes of cervical myelopathy are as follows:
- The degenerative changes in the cervical spine anatomy that occurs with aging
- Ossification of posterior longitudinal, or the decreased flexibility of soft tissues in the neck
- Spinal infections
- Whiplash injury or other cervical spine trauma
- Rheumatoid arthritis of the neck
- Tumors in the spine caused by cancer
What are the Symptoms of Cervical Myelopathy?
Patients with cervical myelopathy typically have some combination of the following symptoms:
- Pain and stiffness in the neck
- Reduced range of motion of the neck
- Clumsiness or weakness in hands
- Numbness or tingling in hands and arms
- Muscle weakness that causes difficulty grasping and holding objects
- Increased reflexes in lower and upper extremities below the level of the lesion
- Coordination issues, such as difficulty walking in a straight line
Cervical Myelopathy Treatments
Non-surgical treatment
Non-surgical treatments are for patients with mild or moderate-to-severe Cervical Myelopathy. These include bed rest, physical therapy, medication, injections, orthoses, traction, and a cervical collar brace. The goal of non-surgical treatment is to decrease pain and improve the patient’s ability to perform daily activities.
Surgical treatments
Surgeries are often necessary to eliminate the spinal cord’s compression and prevent the worsening of the condition. The fundamental idea of these surgeries is to remove the pieces of bone or soft tissue that may be occupying some space in the spinal canal. Depending on the factors such as symptoms and location of the problem, as well as the overall health of the patient, the following surgeries can be performed;
Laminectomy
Cervical Laminectomy remains a useful operative alternative for managing cervical myelopathy where the cervical lordotic creature is well-preserved. In addition, it ensures the complete decompression of the spinal cord.
Laminoplasty
Laminoplasty is an alternative to Laminectomy in which instead of removing the bone, the lamina is thinned on one side and then cut on the other side to create a hinge. It allows the doctor to address adjacent spine segments or levels that may be mildly compressed.
Spinal Fusion
Spinal Fusion is essentially a “welding” process. It involves the fusion of the vertebrae to heal into a single, solid bone. All Spinal fusions use a bone graft to help promote the fusion.
