Thoracic spondylosis presenting with spastic paraparesis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Spinal Surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Spondylotic changes, a common cause of spinal cord and nerve root compression, typically affect the cervical and lumbar spine.
• Degenerative thoracic spine disease leading to myelopathy is exceptionally rare in medical literature.
• Previous reports have documented this condition primarily in the lower thoracic segments.

Observation:

• A patient presented with paraparesis, a form of lower limb weakness.
• The cause was identified as degenerative disease affecting the upper thoracic spine.
• This specific location of degenerative thoracic myelopathy has not been previously reported.

Findings:

• The study details a unique case of paraparesis.
• The etiology was attributed to spondylotic changes in the upper thoracic spine.
• This represents a novel anatomical location for degenerative thoracic myelopathy.

Implications:

• This case expands the known spectrum of degenerative thoracic spine disease.
• It underscores the importance of considering less common locations for spinal pathologies.
• Further research may be warranted to understand the unique biomechanics or pathology of upper thoracic degenerative changes.