Congenital stenosis of the cervical spine: diagnosis and management.

An analysis of 11 cases of congenital stenosis of the cervical spine seen over the past three years is reported. The authors' experiences at an urban community hospital, as well as a large Veterans Administration Hospital, lead them to conclude that this disorder is a neurologically significant anomaly which is probably more common than published reports would imply. It can be clinically and radiographically distinguished from "pure" cervical spondylosis, to which it is related, and its treatment should be appropriately modified. It appears to have a predilection for young adult black males, and cervical myelopathy is the predominant clinical feature. Varying degrees of trauma, a disease endemic to the inner city, plays a major role in precipitating the neurological catastrophes associated with this potentially correctable disorder. Proper management of this entity demands a heightened awareness of its existence as well as a high standard of neurological and roentgenographic diagnosis, and operative performance. A flexible operative strategy which takes into account the specific biomechanical factors involved in this disorder as well as the patient's individual physiological and social status is imperative. Surgery offers a good opportunity for improving neurological function.