CERVICAL DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE

Course overview

DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE OF THE CERVICAL SPINE TYPICALLY DEVELOPS IN THE AGING POPULATION EQUALLY IN TERMS OF SEXES. PATIENTS ARE MOST COMMONLY PRESENT WITH PAIN. PAIN, OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS, MAY REQUIRE SURGICAL INTERVENTION. TREATMENT OPTIONS RANGE FROM NONOPERATIVE MEASURES TO DECOMPRESSION, INSTRUMENTED FUSION, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH LAMINOPLASTY OR INSTRUMENTATION OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH. THIS CHAPTER WILL EXAMINE THE ANATOMY, NATURAL HISTORY, ETIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OPTIONS. THIS ACTIVITY OUTLINES THE CAUSE, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CERVICAL DISC DISEASE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NEED FOR AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM.