Vertebral causes

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