Cervical spondylosis.

Cervical disk degeneration (CDD) can give rise to segmental instability and may appear as pain referred to the arm without any evidence of root compression. CDD can give rise to root pressure either by permitting the development of a disk rupture of by provoking the development of a neurocentral osteophyte, compressing the root in the root canal. Such osteophytes may also compress the vertebral artery. Primary treatment is always conservative. When operative intervention is necessary an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is preferable to a posterior decompression.