Cervical myelopathy due to amyloid deposition with accompanying cardiac abnormalities

Amyloidosis is a rare condition where amyloid proteins accumulate in organs, causing dysfunction. This report describes a unique case involving both cervical myelopathy (spinal cord compression) due to amyloid deposits and cardiac dysfunction due to cardiac amyloidosis in an 86-year-old man. The patient underwent surgery to relieve the spinal cord compression. Preoperative CT scans revealed fine calcifications that were later identified as amyloid deposits. Importantly, the cardiac amyloidosis was detected before surgery, allowing for careful management during the procedure. The authors suggest that the presence of fine calcifications on CT scans in patients with cervical myelopathy should prompt further investigation into potential cardiac involvement, as early detection of cardiac amyloidosis is crucial for managing perioperative risks.

• 1
  The patient presented with cervical myelopathy and was found to have cardiac amyloidosis during preoperative evaluation.
• 2
  Preoperative CT scans revealed multiple fine calcifications below the lamina, which were confirmed as amyloid deposits upon pathological analysis.
• 3
  Surgical intervention (posterior cervical laminectomy) was performed successfully, and the patient showed improvement in his JOA score postoperatively.