Combined (Tandem) Lumbar and Cervical Stenosis

Cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis frequently coexist in patients presenting with clinical manifestations of one of these conditions. It is important for the clinician to be aware of the possibility that asymptomatic cervical stenosis, or symptomatic myelopathy from spinal cord compression, may be present in a patient presenting with symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis. In general, symptomatic cervical stenosis should be addressed surgically before operating on lumbar stenosis. This article examines the incidence of tandem stenosis and management strategies for dealing with it.

Keywords: combined stenosis, tandem stenosis, cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis