Cervical spine: degenerative conditions

Abstract

Degenerative cervical spine disorders will affect up to two-thirds of the population in their lifetime. While often benign and episodic in nature, cervical disorders may become debilitating resulting in severe pain and possibly neurologic sequelae. Non-operative treatment continues to play an important role in treating these patients, with medications, therapy and interventional pain injections playing increasing roles in treatment. Surgical treatment including anterior and posterior decompression and fusion have been effective treatments of many cervical disorders, but may lead to significant problems including adjacent level disease. Laminotomy/foraminotomy and total disc arthroplasty may avoid some of these problems while providing similar clinical results. Ongoing clinical trials and studies are helping to define the role of these new technologies in treatment of patients with degenerative cervical disorders, although their greater benefit has yet to be proven.

Effects of Cervical Kyphosis on Recovery From Dysphagia After Stroke

“…Degenerative cervical spine disease occurs during the lifetime in more than two-thirds of the overall population [14]. Although the precise prevalence of degenerative cervical kyphosis has not been reported, one study reported that the prevalence of cervical kyphosis was 66% in a population of typical 30- to 50-year-old adults [15].…”

Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy and Myelopathy

“…Many cases of axial neck pain are temporary and will resolve with time and nonoperative treatment. 1 It can be difficult to distinguish between an acute or chronic condition related to work and the chronic pain and degeneration associated with aging. Cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a common cause of pain and disability, affecting approximately two-thirds of the US adult population.…”

“…Cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a common cause of pain and disability, affecting approximately two-thirds of the US adult population. 1 Most symptomatic cases present between the ages of 40 and 60, 2 although many individuals never develop symptoms. MRI studies have documented the presence of DDD in 60% of asymptomatic individuals aged greater than 40 years and 80% of patients over the age of 80 years ( Figs.…”

Pain Outcomes in Patients after Artificial Disc Replacement versus Fusion in the Cervical Spine: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews

“…In the last decade there have been several studies that have evaluated whether C-ADR leads to fewer complications, better in multi-level clinical outcomes and more patients' satisfaction than ACDF. Little attention has been paid to pain outcomes in systematic reviews of these studies despite the fact that cervical degenerative disc disease results in significant pain and disability [1].…”

“…Cervical disease prevalence increased with aging and as a consequence to chemical and structural changes in the disc. These changes lead to neck and arm pain which is usually associated with radiculopathy and myelopathy [1]. The radiculopathy is a neurological condition caused by the compression or irritation of the spinal nerves when they exit the spine.…”