Developmental spinal canal stenosis and somatotype

Incidence and Skeletal Features of Developmental Cervical and Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE

To report the prevalence and relationship of developmental cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis (DCSS and DLSS) with the bone parameters of the skull and extremities.

OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE

DCSS and DLSS are found occasionally in daily practice. DCSS and DLSS can cause compressive myelopathy, radiculopathy, and cauda equina syndrome; however, data on their prevalence and correlation with skull and skeletal extremity profiles is scarce.

METHODS

A cross-sectional measurement study of 293 whole-body dried-bone samples was conducted. We measured the anteroposterior (AP) and transverse diameter of the fourth to sixth cervical vertebrae (C4-C6) and third to fifth lumbar vertebrae (L3-L5). Stenosis of the cervical spine and lumbar spine was defined as an AP diameter of <12 mm and <13 mm, respectively. We also measured the skull circumference, the AP and transverse diameters of the foramen magnum, the inner and outer inter distances between the left and right orbital bones, the humerus length, and the femoral length. Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc analyses were used in the statistical analyses.

RESULTS

The age was 22-93 years. DCSS was found in 59 (20.1%) and DLSS in 28 (9.6%). Twelve samples had both DCSS and DLSS (development spinal stenosis, DSS). When compared to the "no spinal stenosis sample," DSS (-), DCSS and DSS had a significantly smaller skull circumference, the transverse diameter of the foramen magnum, and inner and outer distance between the orbital bone (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in humeral length, femoral length, or AP diameter of the foramen magnum.

CONCLUSIONS

DCSS was correlated with a small skull, a small transverse diameter of the foramen magnum, and a small orbital bone. A small skull was strongly associated with a small cervical canal. DLSS, on the other hand, was unrelated to either a small cervical canal or a small skull.

Physical characteristics of patients with developmental cervical spinal canal stenosis

There has been only one report on the physical characteristics of patients with developmental cervical spinal canal stenosis. The objective of this consecutive clinical study was to identify the physical characteristics of patients with developmental cervical spinal canal stenosis. The subjects were 243 patients with cervical spine disease who received treatment in our department between April 2001 and March 2002. These patients were divided into two groups (the groups of patients with and without spinal canal stenosis) on the basis of their lateral cervical spine radiographs. The six items examined were height, weight, sitting height, inter inner canthal distance, upper arm length, and head circumference in each patient, and then their values were compared between the two groups. The mean inter inner canthal distance was 2.7 cm in the group of patients with spinal canal stenosis and 3.5 cm in the group of patients without spinal canal stenosis; a significant difference (P < 0.01) was observed. Regarding height, weight, sitting height, upper arm length, and head circumference, no significant difference was found while comparing the two groups. In conclusion, developmental cervical spinal canal stenosis seems to be highly likely in patients with smaller inter inner canthal distance.