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Vertebral causes

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

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

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