The antero-posterior diameter of the cervical spinal canal in cervical spondylosis. (Part 2)
Sato, M.; Tsuru, M.
No Shinkei Geka. Neurological Surgery 4(10): 971-977
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-2603 PMID: 1033473 Document Number: 103503
1. The antero-posterior diameter (APD) of the cervical spinal canals in 96 cases of cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy and radiculomyelopathy was measured for each vertebra by the method of Burrows, and the thecoperiosteal diameter (TPD) of the cervical spinal canals in the same cases was measured from myelograms by the method of Symon. 2. The APD in patients with myelopathy or positive Queckentedt's test was found to be significantly smaller than those of without them. The upper limit of APD at C4 to C6 vertebrae in patients with myelopathy or positive Queckenstedt's test was 15 mm, while the lower limit of APD in patients with radiculopathy or negative Queckenstedt's test was 13 mm. As based on these findings, the following conclusions were drawn: When the APD is smaller than 15 mm, there is always a chance to develop spondylotic myelopathy or spinal subarachnoid block though not absolute, but if the APD is smaller than 12 mm, the patient will have myelopathy and spinal subarachnoid block absolutely without exception. 3. The TPD in patients with myelopathy or positive Queckenstedt's test was also found to be more significantly smaller than those of without them. It could be seen that the smaller the TPD, the more chance to develop myelopathy and also spinal subarachnoid block. The upper limit of the TPD in myelopathy was 11 mm, and that in spinal arachnoid block was 10 mm. The smallest value in radiculopathy was 9 mm, so that it was suggested that a case which has the value smaller than 8 mm might develop myelopathy. 4. The hight of the inter-body spurs was measured from lateral myelograms in individual case. The value in case with myelopathy and positive Queckenstedt's test was much larger than that of radiculopathy or negative Queckenstedt's test. The lower limit of the hight of the inter-body spurs in case with myelopathy and spinal subarachnoid block was 3 mm.