Severe Facet Joint Arthrosis Caused C7T1 Myelopathy : A Case Report

Abstract EN

Cervical myelopathy is caused by degenerative processes of the spine including intervertebral disc herniation and posterior spur usually developing at C3/4 to C5/6.

C7/T1 single level myelopathy is very rare because of the anatomical characteristics.

Facet joint arthrosis can be a cause of cervical myelopathy but only a few cases have been reported.

The authors report an extremely rare case of C7/T1 myelopathy caused by facet joint arthrosis.

A 58-year-old male presented with hand and gait clumsiness.

The radiological examinations revealed severe C7/T1 facet joint arthrosis with bony spur extending into the spinal canal, which compressed the spinal cord laterally.

The T1 spinous process indicated nonunion of a “clay-shoveler's” fracture, which suggested that his cervico-thoracic spine had been frequently moved, and thus severe arthrosis had occurred in the facet joints.

A right hemilaminectomy of C7 and C7/T1 facetectomy with single level spinal fusion led to complete neurological improvement.