Diagnosis and Management of Thoracic Myelopathy.
- Resource Type
- Academic Journal
- Authors
- Lockey SD; From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA (Lockey and Shen); Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD (Jauregui, Cavanaugh, Koh, Ludwig, Ratanpal, and Chiu).; Jauregui JJ; Cavanaugh DL; Koh EY; Shen FHT; Ludwig SC; Ratanpal AS; Chiu AK
- Source
- Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9417468 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1940-5480 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 1067151X NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Am Acad Orthop Surg Subsets: MEDLINE
- Subject
- Language
- English
Thoracic myelopathy can be a challenging condition to diagnose and treat. Successful outcomes depend on early recondition of the pathology and appropriate surgical referral in cases of progressive neurologic deterioration. The thoracic cord is tethered in kyphosis by the dentate ligaments and contains a tenuous blood supply. These conditions make the thoracic cord particularly susceptible to external compression and ischemic damage. Careful preoperative planning with specific attention to the location and source of thoracic stenosis is critical to successful decompression and complication avoidance. The purpose of this discussion is to outline the common sources of thoracic myelopathy and current recommendations regarding diagnosis and management. The review concludes with an overview of the most up-to-date literature regarding clinical outcomes.
(Copyright © 2024 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)