title: Surgery for spinal cord compression in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: Compression of cervical spinal cord secondary to cervical spondylosis or disc herniation can result in acute or chronic myelopathy. This may go unnoticed in patients with multiple sclerosis who frequently present with similar symptoms. A high index of suspicion, recognition of differences in clinical features, and appropriate use of neuroimaging studies assist in the differentiation of these two disorders. Decompression surgery in carefully selected MS patients who have coexistent spinal cord compression is well tolerated and may result in an excellent outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Division of Neurological Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, JT 1205, 625 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233-7340, USA. kbashir@uab.edu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bashir
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Whitaker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery