Keimyung Med J.  2015 Jun;34(1):80-83. 10.0000/kmj.2015.34.1.80.

Surgical Treatment in Cervical Myelopathy Combined with Flail Arm Syndrome

• Son ES
• Lim JG
• Kim DH
• Lee SJ

• KMID: 2093095
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/kmj.2015.34.1.80

Abstract

Flail arm syndrome (FAS) is a variant of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. FAS is a kind of motor neuron disease that represents a bilateral proximal muscle wasting of upper extremities. Degenerative cervical spondylosis is a common cause of cervical myelopathy and radiculopathy. The coexistence of cervical spondylosis and motor neuron disease can cause difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. This case is a cervical spondylotic myelopathy associated with FAS who had undergone surgical treatment. After the operation, subjective symptoms of the patient was more aggravated and it may be owing to natural history of FAS. The surgical treatment must be made very carefully in cervical spondylotic myelopathy patient combined with motor neuron disease.

Keyword

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Flail arm syndrome; Myelopathy; Surgery

MeSH Terms

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Arm*
Diagnosis
Humans
Motor Neuron Disease
Natural History
Radiculopathy
Spinal Cord Diseases*
Spondylosis
Upper Extremity