Neurologic Complications in Managing Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Management

Degenerative cervical myelopathy is a common neurologic condition induced by compression of the spinal cord due to degenerative changes of the cervical spine. It is one of the leading causes of acquired disability in adults and manifests as a slow deterioration of the symptoms in a majority of the patients. A variety of nonsurgical and surgical treatments have been performed to ameliorate or halt the symptoms, and a number of articles describe their methods, efficacy, and complications. In this article, the pathogenesis, prevention, and management of the neurologic complications are reviewed.