Mechanisms of neurovascular compression within the spinal and intervertebral canals.
OBJECTIVE
To describe some possible causes of encroachment on human spinal and intervertebral canal (foramen) neurovascular II structures. DATA SELECTION AND SYNTHESIS: A review of some imaging films of patients aged 38 to 52 years and some human autopsy histopathologic sections from 40- to 60-year-old cadavers to determine what structures may be responsible for neurovascular compression in individuals in this relatively young-to-middle-age group and to illustrate some examples.


RESULTS
Stenosis of the spinal and intervertebral canal neurovascular structures can be caused by various bony and soft-tissue structures. Stenosis can be related to osteophytosis of the vertebral body, uncoverte-intervertebral disc protrusion, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy or buckling.


CONCLUSIONS
Various forms of spinal and intervertebral canal stenosis can cause compression of neurovascular structures that may, in turn, be responsible for symptomatology. Of course, autopsy findings cannot be equated with painful syndromes in patients.
Giles
L G
LG
National Unit for Multidisciplinary Studies of Spinal Pain, The University of Queensland, Townsville General Hospital, Townsville, Australia.
D000328:Adult; D002102:Cadaver; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013115:Spinal Canal / Q000473:pathology*; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D013131:Spine / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology