Compression of the spinal cord can result from trauma, cancer, epidural abscess, or epidural hematoma and can have a variety of clinical manifestations based on the anatomical level and completeness of the compression. Treatment approaches are outlined.
Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at NEJM.org.
Dr. Alexander Ropper reports receiving travel support from DePuy Synthes, Medtronic, NuVasive, SI-BONE, and Stryker. No other potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
This article was updated on April 6, 2017, at NEJM.org.
We thank Dr. Mitchell Harris at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Ganesh Rao at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and Dr. Daphne Haas-Kogan at Dana–Farber Cancer Institute for advice in preparing an earlier version of the manuscript, and Dr. Michael Groff at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for advice in preparing the interactive graphic.
Source Information
From the Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (A.E.R.).