CSM Flashcards
What is the most serious complication of cervical spondylosis (DJD + DDD of the spine) and is the most common acquired cause of spinal cord dysfunction?
cervical spondylotic myelopathy
What is a cyst that forms within the spinal cord that damages the spinothalamic tract with accompanied pain of the neck and shoulders?
Syringomyelia with a syrinx
What causes loss of disc hydration, hypertrophy of the ligamentous flavum, and decreases the length of the cord (cord thickens)
Degenerative spinal cascade
What is affected most severely with CSM?
Central gray and medial portions of myelinated long tracts
Where do Wallerian degeneration of the posterior columns and posterolateral tracts occur?
Cephalad to the site of compression
Where does Anterior horn cell dropout occur?
At the site of compression
Where does Corticospinal tracts undergo degeneration with loss of myelin staining occur?
Caudal to the site of compression
What is a part of Syringomyelia is a cyst that expands and elongates over time, destroying a portion of the spinal cord from its center and expanding outward?
A syrinx
What is the posterolateral white matter fibers (including the lateral corticospinal tracts) most susceptible to?
Minor degrees of compression
What are the anterior horn cell loss and localized infarction of the gray matter and medial white matter associated with?
More severe degrees of compression (more tolerant to compression)
What test is used to detect cervical demyelination that happens with an electric-like sensation running down the spine with neck flexion?
L’Hermitte’s sign
Who are predisposed to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament?
Japanese
What is one of the first pathologic changes seen in CSM?
Demyelination of the corticospinal tracts
