Cervical disk protrusions with compression of the spinal cord

Abstract

Cervical myelopathy due to spondylosis with disk protrusions in a 62-year-old man is described. The case was followed more than 4 years, and the examinations included myelograms and recordings of the cerebrospinal fluid pressure with the head in different positions. There was a complete spinal block when the head was extended. It is concluded that the mechanism of producing damage to the spinal cord was probably due to successive and temporary occlusion of different arterial branches, mainly from the anterior spinal artery but, also, in part, from the peripheral arteries. The basic cause of compression of the blood vessels was probably the dorsal protrusion of the intervertebral disks with concomitant decrease of the antero-posterior diameter of the vertebral canal.