This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

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Bashir K, Cai CY, Moore TA 2nd, Whitaker JN, Hadley MN.
SourceDepartment of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Neurology and Research Services of the Birmingham Veterans Medical Center, USA.

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to investigate the clinical and paraclinical features, treatment, and outcomes of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and coexisting spinal cord compression secondary to either cervical spondylosis or cervical disc disease. Patients with MS commonly experience neurological disabilities that present as myelopathy associated with bladder dysfunction. For some patients with MS, however, this neurological deterioration may result from coexisting spinal cord compression attributable to either spondylosis or a herniated disc. Overlapping symptoms of the two conditions do not allow clear clinical determination of the underlying cause of worsening.

METHODS: Patients with MS who underwent cervical decompression surgery were selected. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, to collect data on their pre- and postoperative clinical courses.

RESULTS: Nine women and five men with definite MS were selected for cervical decompression surgery to treat neurological deterioration considered to be at least partially attributable to spinal cord compression. The most common symptoms were progressive myelopathy (n = 13), neck pain (n = 11), and cervical radiculopathy (n = 10). Bladder dysfunction was notably absent among these patients with MS with moderate disabilities. Surgical intervention was frequently delayed because the neurological deterioration was initially thought to be attributable to MS. The majority of patients experienced either improvement or stabilization of their preoperative symptoms in the immediate postoperative period; three subjects (21%) maintained this improvement after a mean follow-up period of 3.8 years. No MS relapses, permanent neurological worsening, or serious complications resulting from surgery or general anesthesia were noted.

CONCLUSION: Carefully selected patients with MS and cervical spinal cord compression secondary to either spondylosis or disc disease may benefit from surgical decompression, with minimal associated morbidity. Clinical features (especially neck pain and cervical radiculopathy) and magnetic resonance imaging may assist clinicians in differentiating between the two conditions and may guide appropriate treatment without undue delay.

PMID:10981751[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Publication Types, MeSH Terms

Spinal cord compression

Another word for - Trauma -.

Bet the farm ... most of these patients suffered Spinal cord compression as a result of suffering a spinal injury.



MrSuccess

I have two herniated discs but thoracic not cervical. Both my hernias do not (yet) compress the cord. But if they did, there would the option to have them removed surgically. This article is saying that patients benefited from having the herniated disc surgically removed. My herniated discs showed up on MRIs of the spine that were done for MS. I think they were probably the result of three pregnancies and weakened core strength due to MS.

So this spinal surgery would be an option only if you have herniated or spondylotic cervical discs.

this study was done in "sept. of 2000." i am trying to find out more.

never the less, the fact is, these dr.'s did it-there was success--all symptoms can not be blamed on this scarey monster someone decided to call ms. also, it looks to me like a few of these people had only spinal issues that were causeing their symptoms-yet they had been rolled into the diag. of ms.

in 2000 i was still driveing, walking, etc. i had been for yrs. trying to get a neuro. surgeon to take me seriously about my spinal issues. and, not long ago here in pitt. went to see one who by looking at my mri only said he saw problems he could help me with. got there the "ms" word was mentioned and it was a different ball game-no go. "how wrong this is"!

you would think that something like this would have spread like wild fire. but then again, look how long dr. shelling was at it and shunned until lately. look at dr. flanning's work etc.

it is so wrong that we as individuals are not treated and looked at as individuals. --more money for drug research and sales if in a bunch and also big money can make some of the best turn a blind eye.

i'm upset, very much upset, all these yrs. and at the point of health i'm at and my age and all. and, it "had been done" but not put out there.

cece, the endroscopic surgery is not so invasive and is improving all the time. "but still surgery" not to be taken lightly. but, if there's a chance in hell it would be part of or all the problem i hope you younger ones and yes us seasoned ones at least be taken seriously and looked at and checked appropriatly and treated appropriatly. screw the diag.-label-whatever they named ms.

the atlas, the jaws, the spine these are very important.

Blossom, I sure do hear you!

Here is a portion of my February, 2012, cervical MRI report:


myelomalacia- softening of the cord due to loss of neurons from injury/disease.

If I had always insisted upon the full slate of MRIs (brain, cervical, and thoracic) and comprehensive, level-by-level, MRI reports which did not focus solely on "MS" lesions, perhaps a surgical intervention could have been done in time to help my cervical spine (and, therefore, help my cervical cord). The only option I have now to help my cervical spine and cord is to continue to keep in alignment my C1 Atlas vertebra, which I plan to do (I use an Atlas Orthogonal chiropractor).

Edit- I also have cervical spondylosis (osteoarthritis).

I recently had my C5-C6 disc removed and the corresponding vertebrae fused. After the procedure, the surgeon told me that the herniated disc was pushing against the right spinal nerves, the spinal cord, but especially against the left side nerve root. I had a severe ladder accident in 1990 and have a 1992 MRI showing disc damage.

Interestingly, some of the very first symptoms manifested after this accident-tingling and numbness-have largely disappeared. I was worried that such a long term pressure from the the bulging disc would have left permanent damage. However, I still need my bilateral sigmoid sinus stenosis treated. One step at a time!

I notice that while my walking issues are unchanged, my sense of balance while standing has greatly improved.

After watching the CCSVI debate unfold, I am personally convinced that 95% of "MS" cases have some congenital aspect BUT a small minority are the result of trauma.

Donnchadh

_________________
Kitty says, "Take that, you stenosis!"

Got MS?.....Get Liberated!

I have had 2 spinal surgeries in the last 2 years. First it was c5 & c6 discectomy n fusion. Then c6 & c7 discectomy n fusion. With the first one my spinal cord was compressed 50%. There was no event to cause the injury. I was losing strength n feeling in my left arm. I thought it was advancing ms. Regular mri showed the diisc damage. The nuero surgeon said i was one move away from a significant event. (paralysis) My strength n feeling in my left arm has returned. Same story with c6 n c7, only the right arm was effected. Still waiting for feeling to return. Im 11 months post op. Will take up to 36 months to return.
Bmk

dont get too excited. Im a contractor. Just about every guy i work with has a messed up, torn, bulging , or herniated disc. I dont. I have ms. they dont have MS.

Just to make my position clear, I am not saying trauma causes "MS" what I am saying is that sometimes trauma causes damage/injury to the veins. Whether the veins are occluded due to congenital causes (probably in about 95% of the cases), or to trauma the net result can have the same set of symptoms.

Donnchadh

_________________
Kitty says, "Take that, you stenosis!"

Got MS?.....Get Liberated!

I am scheduled for Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery in Germany, June 29th by Rudolph Bertagnoli (one of the best spine surgeons in the world). I've been told by Dr. Jens R. Chapman (U.W. Medicine Orthopedic Spine Surgeon), one of the best in the country, that ADR is contraindicated for MS patients for the following reason:

The increased neural membrane sensitivity present in MS patients would become increasingly hypersensitive with the introduction of artificial discs due to the irritation caused by the procedure combined with preservation of motion which would exacerbate the neural membrane hypersensitivity as opposed to a fusion, which would not.

I've been told by Dr. Andrea Fenk-Mayer, a surgeon on Dr. Bertagnoli's team at the ProSpine Clinic that this is not so.

There are no clinical studies to support the hypothesis but I know Dr. Chapman to be an expert so I'm basically caught between two experts with conflicting opinions. I was diagnosed with MS (Relapse/Remit) in 2004 and have cervical disc problems since 1995. Now it appears that surgery is in order and the standard path is a fusion. It seemed like ADR was a fantastic alternative.

Has anyone heard anything about this?

Thanks, very much.

bkw4216, first i have high hopes and many prayers sent your way. at least you have open minded and sounds like very skilled surgeons that although the diag. of ms they are willing to do the surgery. hard to find here.

i feel if anyone may be able to answer your question or at least enlighten things it would be dr. flanagan "upright doc" here at tims. i think you wanted to know if anyone here has experienced this personally. dr. flanagan's expertee on spinal issues is a hard act to follow.

again, the best to you and please keep us updated.