Spinal stenosis / spinal canal stenosis in cervical spine
Spinal stenosis and spinal canal stenosis are two slightly different technical terms for the same illness. Because spinal canal stenosis is more common we use it in the following paragraphs.
Cervical spinal canal stenosis is a constriction of the spinal canal in cervical spine. Such a constriction does not spread out over the whole spinal canal but does emerge in heavily strained areas of spine, especially at height the facet joints. Due to the 'pincer´s effect' compression damage of nerve roots follows (see illustration A and B).
Symptoms spinal canal stenosis cervical spine
Spinal canal stenosis can cause shoulder-arm pain up to paralysis and decrease of sensation. The compression can also result in paralysis and decrease of sensation of the legs. In worst case, a paraplegia is the result of spinal canal stenosis. This can also be the case by virtue of a downfall combined with a spinal hyperextension. The symptoms of spincal canal stenosis in an overview:
- headache, dizziness
- shoulder-arm pain
- paralyzations, decrease of sensation in arms, hands and legs
Causes spinal canal stenosis cervical spine
Spinal canal stenosis, like most of degenerative diseases of spine, increases in old age. A thickening of bones and posterior ligaments causes stenosis. The spinal canal becomes narrowed and the nerves in the spinal canal are compressed. Such a stenosis is concentrated in heavily afflicted regions of the spine and does not spread over the whole spinal canal. Pressure damage of the nerve roots follows, which can entail several complaints.
Diagnostics spinal stenosis cervical spine
To differentiate spinal canal stenosis from other spinal diseases causing similar complaints, patients first get a neurological-orthopedic examination including a comprehensive talk about the history and treatment of illness. Often imaging examinations like MRI follow. Magnet resonance imaging enables us to examine and visualize a spinal stenosis and other spinal diseases very thoroughly.The MR image on the right depicts a spinal stenosis in cervical spine in several segments compressing the spinal canal.
At Beta Klinik we use an open MRI system which allows us to comfortly examine patients suffering from claustrophobia or patients up to 250 kg (500 lbs).
Treatment of spinal canal stenosis cervical spine
Because paraplegia is to be the worst case scenario of cervical spinal canal stenosis in combination with a downfall and a hyperextension of cervical spine, it is treated preventively with surgery, also if there are no clinical symptoms. Which kind of surgery is performed, depends on different aspects and has to be weighed up thoroughly.
In case of the so-called decompression, the thickened and protruding bone and ligament formations are removed by employing a microscope and microscopic fraises. Thus, the nomal diameter of the spinal canal is reconstructed. Here you find more detailed information on microsurgical decompression / microlaminectomy.
Before treating listhesis with stabilization, also called fusion, stiffening or spondylodesis, the individual usage and chances of success of all other procedures should be taken into consideration. During stabilization neurosurgeons combine bone tissue, plates, so-called cages and screws to permanently stabilize the spine. Learn more about stabilization by clicking here.
The therapeutical options for treating spincal canal stenosis in cervical spine in short:
- decompression / microlaminectomy: frontal or dorsal dilatation of the spinal canal, if necessary implantation of stabilizing elements like cage, artificial disc / disc prosthesis or a vertebral body replacement systems
- stabilization wih a rod-screw system