RESUMO
RESUMEN Las alteraciones degenerativas de la columna se engloban en el término de espondilosis cervical. La mielopatía espondilótica cervical (MEC) es la forma más común de disfunción del cordón espinal en mayores de 55 años. Se considera la intervención quirúrgica en la mayoría de los casos de mielopatía cervical espondilótica evidente desde el punto de vista clínico, dado el riesgo de deterioro neurológico. En la mayoría de los casos de mielopatía cervical, la descompresión de la médula espinal genera estabilización o mejoría de la función de los haces largos medulares. La función es mejor cuando se restablecen bien las dimensiones del conducto vertebral después de la descompresión, cuando la descompresión es más precoz y cuando no hay comorbilidad considerable.
ABSTRACT The degenerative alterations of the column are included in the term of cervical espondilosis. The cervical spondylotic myelopathy it is the form more common of disfuntion of the spinal cord in bigger than 55 years. It is considered the surgical intervention in most of the cases of cervical spondylotic myelopathy evident from the clinical, given point of view the risk of neurological deterioration. In most of the cases of cervical myelopathy, the decompression of the spinal marrow generates stabilization or improvement of the function of the medullary long sheaves. The function is better when they recover well the dimensions of the vertebral conduit after the decompression, when the decompression is more precocious and when there is not considerable comorbility.
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Idoso , Artrodese , Doenças da Medula Espinal/cirurgia , Doenças da Medula Espinal/complicações , Doenças da Medula Espinal/diagnóstico , Doenças da Medula Espinal/etiologia , Doenças da Medula Espinal/tratamento farmacológico , Doenças da Medula Espinal/diagnóstico por imagem , Discotomia , Espondilose/diagnóstico , Degeneração do Disco Intervertebral/diagnóstico , Canal Medular/fisiopatologia , Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética , NeurocirurgiaRESUMO
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a cohort of patients treated between April 2006 and January 2008, and diagnosed with cervical degenerative disease. OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation of the clinical findings associated with cervical myelopathy to the presence of spinal cord compression or cord signal abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There are numerous reports describing the radiographic features of cervical spondylosis, however, no publication specifically describes the association between the physical signs of cervical myelopathy and the presenting imaging findings. METHODS: Myelopathy was defined as the presence of greater than one long-tract sign localized to the cervical spinal cord (Hoffman or Babinski signs, clonus, hyper-reflexia, crossed abductor sign, and/or gait dysfunction) on physical examination in the absence of other neurologic condition(s). The presence of these signs, MRI imaging features of spinal cord compression and hyperintense T2 intraparenchymal cord signal abnormality, and patient demographics were recorded. RESULTS: One hundred three patients met inclusion criteria (age >18, symptomatic cervical degenerative disease and complete neurologic assessment). Of these, 54 had clinical findings of cervical myelopathy. Radiographic features of cord compression were present in 62% of patients, and 84% had myelopathy on examination. No patients without cord compression presented with myelopathy (P < 0.0001). Thirty-five percent of the patients presented with hyperintense signal on T2 MRI within the spinal cord parenchyma. This finding correlated with the presence of myelopathy (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis on the subset with cord compression indicates that the likelihood of myelopathy increased with the presence of cord signal hyperintensity (odds ratio [OR], 11.4), sensory loss (OR, 16.9), and age (OR, 1.10 per year). CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of cervical myelopathy is based on presenting symptoms and physical examination. This analysis illustrates that radiographic cervical spinal cord compression and hyperintense T2 intraparen chymal signal abnormalities correlate with the presence of myelopathic findings on physical examination.