[scgrits]

#4447

My doctor is a neurosurgeon and has advised me that I will need cervical fusion surgery. He said I shouldn’t wait and presently it’s scheduled for 3/31/11. I have NO pain in my neck or arm only some stiffness. I have numbness predominantly in my left arm and less numbness in my right arm and have some numbness and tingling in left and right hands. Please note that I’ve had these symptoms for about 6 years, and I’ve recently noticed the numbness is slowly increasing. The doctor indicated I have 50% compression of spinal cord. Is this surgery the best option for me?? What happens if I don’t have surgery? MRI is as follows: Marked degenerative disc disease changes with moderate to marked disc narrowing at c5-c6 and c6-c7 and large posterior disc osteophyte complex at c5-c6 with underling mild stenosis with ap diameter of the canal between 7-8 mil. There is large hnp at c6-c7 more on the left than right there is also myelopathy at the c6-c7 level sm hnp on right at c4-c5. Mild to moderate spurring to right and left c6 of the uncovertebral joints into the right and left c6-c7 neural foramina and the right and left c5-6 neural foramina. Impression: Myelopathy at c5-6 and c6-7. Mild spinal stenosis at c5-c6 and c6-c7. Large left hnp at c6-c7. Prominent disc osteophyte complex both on right and left at c5-c6. Minimal right disc. Protrusion at c4-c5. Some spurring of the neural foramina as described above.

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#4448

It does not appear that your surgeon is doing this surgery for nerve root compression but for spinal cord compression. If the nerve root only was compressed- you would have more arm pain and possibly weakness of that arm.

The radiologist stated that you have “myelopathy” which is really a clinical diagnosis (diagnosed by symptoms and physical examination- not by MRI). Most likely, he meant that you have spinal cord compression and myelomalacia. If this is true, then your spinal cord is under compression and needs to be surgically decompressed. If this is the case, I would agree that surgery is most likely warrented.

Spinal cord injury from trauma, compression or any other cause does not heal well and surgery is normally recommended.

PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
 
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.

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