CERVICAL MYELOPATHY

Course overview

CERVICAL MYELOPATHY IS A CONDITION DESCRIBING A COMPRESSION OF THE SPINAL CORD AT THE CERVICAL LEVEL OF THE SPINAL COLUMN RESULTING IN SPASTICITY (SUSTAINED MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS), HYPERREFLEXIA, PATHOLOGIC REFLEXES, DIGIT/HAND CLUMSINESS, AND/OR GAIT DISTURBANCE. CLASSICALLY IT HAS AN INSIDIOUS ONSET PROGRESSING IN A STEPWISE MANNER WITH FUNCTIONAL DECLINE. MANAGEMENT OFTEN INVOLVES SURGERY INVOLVING EITHER ANTERIOR OR POSTERIOR DECOMPRESSION OF THE TIGHT AREA AND LIKELY FUSION. A POOR PROGNOSIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH MORE THAN 18 MONTHS OF SYMPTOMATIC DURATION. WITHOUT TREATMENT, PATIENTS MAY PROGRESS TOWARD SIGNIFICANT PARALYSIS AND LOSS OF FUNCTION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF CERVICAL MYELOPATHY AND EXAMINES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.