Cervical myelopathy

Cervical myelopathy is a condition caused by narrowing of the spinal canal leading to dysfunction. The most common causes are congenital stenosis and degenerative stenosis caused by spondylosis. Whatever the underlying disease process, the compression is usually progressive and will often require surgical intervention to prevent increasing disability. Many patients experience significant improvement in symptoms after surgery, so operative intervention should be considered for almost all patients. Early recognition and treatment prior to spinal cord damage is critical to ensure a good clinical outcome.