vertebral causes
Last reviewed 01/2018
The causes of cord compression originating from disease within the spinal vertebrae includes:
- congenital bone anomalies
- trauma: fracture, dislocation
- disc prolapse, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis and atlanto-axial subluxation in rheumatoid arthritis and Down's syndrome patients due to the transverse ligament being insufficient to restrain the odontoid peg
- tumour:
- metastatic: breast, bronchus, prostate
- primary, e.g. plasmacytoma
- infection: TB - Pott's disease, staphylococcal septicaemia
- Paget's disease of the spine - may be monostotic or polyostotic; most commonly compresses the cauda equina