Primary Tumors of the Spinal Cord
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Primary tumors of the spinal cord comprise 5% to 15% of all central nervous system (CNS) tumors. They can be divided into two main categories based…
Cervical Degenerative Disk Disease
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Cervical disk degeneration becomes more prevalent with increasing age and can affect both male and female patients equally. Genes associated with disk degeneration include those coding…
Neurophysiologic Monitoring of the Cervical Spine
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis This chapter discusses the application of various intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring (IONM) techniques (also known as modalities) during cervical spine surgery, namely, somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEPs), transcranial electrical…
Traumatic Arterial Injuries: Diagnosis and Management
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Vertebral artery injuries (VAIs) are becoming increasingly recognized as more screening protocols are being used. Angiography is the gold standard, but many centers are using computed…
Radiographic and Computed Tomography Evaluation of the Cervical Spine
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Conventional radiographs and computed tomography (CT) imaging are integral parts of the evaluation of a patient with suspected cervical spine abnormalities. The treating clinician must have…
Spinal Cord Injuries and Syndromes
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious worldwide health problem, often resulting in significant morbidity and permanent neurologic deficits. The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment…
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is spinal cord dysfunction accompanying age-related degeneration of the cervical spine. The lack of prospective studies of its natural history and vague…
Cervical Radiculopathy
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis Cervical radiculopathy is defined as pain with or without a motor, sensory, or reflex deficit that is caused by cervical nerve root compression or irritation. Typically,…
Posterior Surgical Approach to the Cervical Spine
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis The midline posterior approach is the most commonly used approach to the cervical spine. It allows efficient and safe access to the posterior elements of the…
Anterior Surgical Approach to the Cervical Spine
Chapter Preview Chapter Synopsis The approach to the anterior cervical spine is one of the most common approaches performed in cervical spine surgery. Because of the vital anatomy near the…
