Cervical spondylotic myelopathy

Abstract

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy, the most frequent type of spinal cord's function impairment in patients over 55 years of age, is caused by mechanical and dynamical changes in the degenerating lower cervical segment of the spine leading to the reduction of the perimedullar space, disturbing thus the blood supply or spinal cord per se. The clinical picture of neurologic changes and their development is very variable. The suspicion of CSM is supported by the finding of the stenosis of the spinal canal to 11 mm, or the decrease in Pavlov's index below 0.8. The diagnosis is based dominantly on CT myelographic examination and MRI. Operative solution has a favourable prognosis providing that the irreversible changes in the spinal cord are absent. (Tab. 1, Fig. 7, Ref. 12.)