脊椎脊髄疾患の自然経過―各種頚椎疾患

Natural History of Disorders of the Cervical Spine and Spinal Cord

　医学・医療において各疾患群の自然経過を知ることは極めて重要であり，その経過は手術適応や至適手術時期，術後評価などに大きな示唆を与えてくれる．今回，パネルディスカッションとして企画された頚椎・頚髄疾患（髄内腫瘍，リウマチ性上位頚椎病変，頚椎症性脊髄症，後縦靱帯骨化症）の自然経過に関する発表がなされ，その要旨と今後の方向性について概説した．今後の課題として，各種運動器疾患の自然経過に関する大規模な全国調査研究が望まれる．

　Medical practitioners must understand the natural history of diseases in order to treat them properly. Such knowledge allows the physician to effectively determine the indications and optimal timing for surgical intervention and offers insight into the assessment of the outcome.

　This panel discussion reviewed the natural course of diseases of the cervical spine and spinal cord (intra-medullary spinal cord tumors, cervical rheumatoid arthritis, cervical spondylotic myelopathy and OPLL) and discussed future considerations. A large-scale multi-center national study into the natural history of various orthopedic diseases desired in order to further our understanding of them.