title: Decompression for cervical myelopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cervical spondylotic myelopathy is a degenerative condition of the cervical spine. Surgical decompression is considered the gold standard of treatment, yet multiple published studies failed to yield consistent clinical results. Properly designed clinical outcomes studies using physiological, functional, and self-reported measures have the ability to define the best intervention for this disease entity. Many validated outcomes measures for cervical spondylotic myelopathy already exist, ranging from the disease-specific Nurick grading scale to the generalized Short Form 36-item (SF-36) questionnaire.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the literature concerning outcome measurements for cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research must consistently use a broad array of outcome assessments to elucidate the correct utilization of surgical decompression for this disease entity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Presbyterian University Hospital, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Jankowitz
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Gerszten
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*