Over time, age-related degenerative changes, such as osteoarthritis, bulging discs, and thickening of ligaments can narrow the diameter of the spinal canal through which the spinal cord and cervical nerve roots pass. If the spinal cord becomes compressed it can become progressively damaged and cause a variety of symptoms which may be irreversible.
What are the symptoms of cervical myelopathy?
Symptoms of cervical stenosis and myelopathy often manifest as numbness, weakness or clumsiness in the hands or legs, difficulty balancing when walking, difficulty with co – ordination, and pain radiating into the arms or legs. Some patients may also experience disturbance of bladder or bowel function.
How is cervical stenosis and myelopathy diagnosed?
Following a thorough clinical assessment, you will be referred for an MRI scan. The MRI will demonstrate the cervical stenosis causing the cord compression resulting in the symptoms.
What are the treatment options for cervical stenosis and myelopathy?
Cervical myelopathy is a serious condition that is likely to progress over time if left untreated. The aim of surgical treatment is to decompress the spinal cord, stabilise the spine and prevent further damage. Early intervention provides the best results in such cases. There are several different techniques that may be employed to achieve decompression and may involve surgery from the front of the neck, from the back of the neck, or sometimes both. Surgery from the front of the neck may involve removal one or multiple discs from the neck (anterior cervical discectomy and fusion), or sometimes an entire vertebra (cervical corpectomy). Surgery from the back of the neck may involve removal of the bony lamina covering the spinal cord (cervical laminectomy) and may also involve placement of screws and rods to stabilise the spine following this procedure. Cervical laminoplasty is a technique that creates space for the spinal cord without removing the lamina bone. Further information can be found about these techniques under ‘treatments’ section.
