Cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis associated with myelopathy and cauda equina syndrome

Abstract

Spinal stenosis is a common cause of pain and disability. The degenerative changes that cause progressive narrowing of the spinal canal may also give rise to myelopathy or cauda equina syndrome (CES). In the cervical spine, stenosis will usually present as pain or radiculopathy with or without myelopathy. Lumbar spinal stenosis may present in numerous ways, such as low back pain, radiculopathy, CES, and bladder/bowel dysfunction. Despite advances in diagnosis and surgical treatment, many patients still have pain and/or neurologic deficits caused by this condition. An overview of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of spinal stenosis associated myelopathy and CES is presented. © 2008 Thomas Land Publishers, Inc.