title: Degenerative disorders of the lumbar and cervical spine.
abstract: Degenerative disorders in the spine are normal, age-related phenomena and largely asymptomatic in most cases. Conservative management of lumbar and cervical spondylosis is the mainstay of treatment, and most patients with symptomatic degenerative changes respond appropriately with nonsurgical management. Surgical intervention can be considered an appropriate and viable option when conservative measures have failed. Treatment options should always be directed toward the specific nature and location of the patient's individual pathology. Although current standards in the surgical management of lumbar and cervical degenerative disorders include discectomy, neural decompression, and instrumented spinal arthrodesis, new approaches that address this often-challenging clinical entity are on the horizon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital for Special Surgery, 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Andelle L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Jung U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furey
authors.forename: Henry H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Bohlman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*