Cervical spinal canal stenosis is the pathological narrowing of the spinal canal at the level of the cervical spine, resulting in compression of the spinal cord and/or the nerve roots passing through it.
It is most commonly caused by age-related degenerative changes, including the formation of osteophytes, thickening of the ligamentum flavum, bulging or herniation of intervertebral discs, and hypertrophy of the facet joints. In some cases, it may be congenital due to a naturally narrower spinal canal.
Progressive compression of the spinal cord may lead to cervical myelopathy, a serious clinical condition characterized by gait and balance disturbances, loss of hand dexterity, tingling or numbness in the extremities, and, in advanced stages, bladder or bowel dysfunction.
When the compression primarily affects the nerve roots, symptoms resemble those of cervical radiculopathy, including pain, numbness, or weakness radiating toward the shoulder and upper limb.
Diagnosis is confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which accurately demonstrates the degree of stenosis and its relationship with neural structures. Computed tomography (CT) may be used as a complementary examination to evaluate bony abnormalities and degenerative changes.
Treatment depends on the severity of symptoms and ranges from conservative management with observation, medication, and physical therapy in mild cases, to surgical decompression procedures, such as laminectomy or discectomy-based interventions, in patients with significant neurological symptoms or evidence of myelopathy.