Central Cord Syndrome Redefined

Abstract

This article reviews the historical origins of central cord syndrome (CCS), the mechanism of injury, pathophysiology, and clinical implications. CCS is the most common form of incomplete spinal cord injury. CCS involves a spectrum of neurologic deficits preferentially affecting the hands and arms. Evidence suggests that in the twenty-first century CCS has become the most common form of spinal cord injury overall. In an era of big data and the need to standardize this particular diagnosis to unite outcome data, we propose redefining CCS as any adult cervical spinal cord injury in the absence of fracture/dislocation.

Keywords: Central cord syndrome; Cervical spondylosis; Cervical stenosis; Elderly; Falls; Hyperextension; Neck trauma; Spinal cord injury.