title: [Cervical spondylotic myelopathy: early diagnosis and timing of operation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study early clinical characteristics and diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy and to search the timing of surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four cases of early diagnosed cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) were treated with anterior cervical decompression and autologous ilium graft fusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The early stage of CSM was indistinct, and symptoms were mild. Neck pain, abnormality of motion and sensation of limbs, and hand and arm symptoms were shown frequently. Changes in neurological function could found during physical examination. Characteristic changes in imaging were helpful in early diagnosis of the disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early diagnosis and surgery of CSM are important in improving the therapeutic results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed