The U-shaped device maintains height between the bones in the spine so nerves can exit freely and extend to lower extremities. Surgery for cervical myelopathy is either conducted from the front or from the back, depending on several factors such as where the compression occurs and how the cervical spine is aligned. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: A surgical treatment of nerve root or spinal cord compression by decompressing the spinal cord and nerve roots of the cervical spine with a discectomy in order to stabilize the corresponding vertebrae. Posterior approaches seek to generate space around the spinal cord by removing parts of the posterior elements of the spine. Techniques include laminectomy, laminectomy and fusion, and laminoplasty.Decompression plus fusion appears no better than decompression alone, while spinal spacers appears better than decompression plus fusion but not better than decompression alone. No differences were found in the type of decompression. Epidemiology
The NAMCS data shows the incidence in the U.S. population to be 3.9% of 29,964,894 visits for mechanical back problems. The Longitudinal Framingham Heart Study found 1% of men and 1.5% of women had vertebral slippage at a mean age of 54. Over the next 25 years, 11% of men and 25% of women developed degenerative vertebral slippage. Research
A RCT is being conducted in Sweden, to compare surgery versus non-surgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis. See also
Spinal cord compression

References
External links
"Spinal Stenosis". PubMed Health. National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine. 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011.
Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen that results in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. Symptoms may include pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs. Symptoms are typically gradual in onset and improve with leaning forward. Severe symptoms may include loss of bladder control, loss of bowel control, or sexual dysfunction.Causes may include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal tumors, trauma, Pagets disease of the bone, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, and the genetic condition achondroplasia. It can be classified by the part of the spine affected into cervical, thoracic, and lumbar stenosis. Lumbar stenosis is the most common, followed by cervical stenosis. Diagnosis is generally based on symptoms and medical imaging.Treatment may involve medications, bracing, or surgery. Medications may include NSAIDs, acetaminophen, or steroid injections. Stretching and strengthening exercises may also be useful. Limiting certain activities may be recommended. Surgery is typically only done if other treatments are not effective, with the usual procedure being a decompressive laminectomy.Spinal stenosis occurs in as many as 8% of people. It occurs most commonly in people over the age of 50. Males and females are affected equally often. The first modern description of the condition is from 1803 by Antoine Portal, and there is evidence of the condition dating back to Ancient Egypt. Types
The most common forms are lumbar spinal stenosis, at the level of the lower back, and cervical spinal stenosis, which are at the level of the neck.