Syringomyelia
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Partial obstruction of the subarachnoid space can be identified as the underlying cause of syringomyelia in almost all patients: tonsillar descent causes this in Chiari malformation–related…
Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Cervical Spine
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory polyarthritis that often involves the joints of the upper and subaxial cervical spine. The common spinal manifestations include atlantoaxial…
Stingers and Transient Paresis
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Cervical cord neurapraxia and stingers can create significant angst in players, coaches, families, and spectators. Avoidance of permanent injury is tantamount. Effective postinjury management of the…
Laminectomy and Fusion
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Symptomatic cervical myelopathy from multilevel spinal cord compression in older patients is an increasing clinical problem. Multilevel anterior cervical surgical procedures carry significant morbidity. The posterior…
Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) comprises a common procedure used to treat cervical radiculopathy and cervical myelopathy. Excellent results can be achieved through careful patient…
Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) has unique characteristics in multiple lesions from the cervical spine to the lumbar spine and in its gradual extension…
Ankylosing Spondylitis of the Cervical Spine
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a disease of unknown origin that is characterized by inflammation of the axial skeleton. It affects the cervical spine in many patients…
Subaxial Cervical Spine Injuries
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Injuries to the subaxial cervical spine comprise the majority of cervical spine injuries annually. Since 2000, novel classification systems have been developed to provide a uniform…
Cervical Disk Arthroplasty
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis The ability for cervical total disk arthroplasty (TDA) to treat specific cervical spine disorders while maintaining cervical motion is now feasible. Although unclear, it appears that…
Infections of the Cervical Spine
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Infections of the cervical spine account for less than 10% of all spine infections, but they are the source of 27% of all neurologic deficits associated…
