Coexistent Cervical Spondylosis and Peripheral Nerve Lesions

Twenty-three patients with cervical spondylosis were confirmed by clinical symptoms and X-ray finding. We, then, measured their motor nerve conduction velocities (MCV) of the median and ulnar nerves. The delay of terminal latency in the median nerve (M-TL) and the ulnar nerve (U-TL) were detected in 35.7% and 15.2% of the patients, respectively. Delay of the ulnar nerve MCV (a cross section of the elbow) was recognized in 28.3% of the patients. Patients who showed a delayed M-TL had cervical lesions at the C5 or C6 root under radiculopathy. But patients who showed a delayed U-TL had no special level of cervical lesion. A high percentage of patients with cervical spondylosis showed a delayed M-TL, U-TL and of U-E. It seems that patients with cervical spondylosis may have peripheral nerve lesions. These cases which showed a delayed U-E had more clinical symptoms than did those cases with a delayed M-TL and U-TL. We believe that patients with severe cervical lesions will not obtain good results in the treatment of peripheral nerve lesions.