Cervical Laminectomy
This is a 5 level (C3-C7) cervical laminectomy I performed for severe spinal cord compression. The spinal cord compression was causing cervical myelopathy. Cervical myelopathy is a clinical syndrome characterized by clumsiness in hands, gait imbalance, and weakness. It is most commonly caused by compression of the spinal cord however other disease processes can result in similar symptoms. The most common cause of cervical myelopathy is degenerative cervical spondylosis (CSM). In this condition, compression is usually caused by anterior degenerative changes (osteophytes, discosteophyte complex). Degenerative spondylolithesis may contribute to spinal canal narrowing. Some individuals have underlying congenital stenosis. Symptoms usually begin when congenital narrowing is combined with spondylotic degenerative changes but large disc herniations can also result in enough spinal cord compression to cause myelopathy. Other more rare causes include OPLL Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament tumor epidural abscess trauma cervical kyphosis Neurologic injury is often a result of direct cord compression and ischemic injury(loss of blood flow) secondary to compression of spinal vasculature.
This is a 5 level (C3-C7) cervical laminectomy I performed for severe spinal cord compression. The spinal cord compression was causing cervical myelopathy. Cervical myelopathy is a clinical syndrome characterized by clumsiness in hands, gait imbalance, and weakness. It is most commonly caused by compression of the spinal cord however other disease processes can result in similar symptoms. The most common cause of cervical myelopathy is degenerative cervical spondylosis (CSM). In this condition, compression is usually caused by anterior degenerative changes (osteophytes, discosteophyte complex). Degenerative spondylolithesis may contribute to spinal canal narrowing. Some individuals have underlying congenital stenosis. Symptoms usually begin when congenital narrowing is combined with spondylotic degenerative changes but large disc herniations can also result in enough spinal cord compression to cause myelopathy. Other more rare causes include OPLL Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament tumor epidural abscess trauma cervical kyphosis Neurologic injury is often a result of direct cord compression and ischemic injury(loss of blood flow) secondary to compression of spinal vasculature.