Identical twins with cervical myelopathy: a case for hereditary cervical spondylosis? Report of two cases and review of the literature

Although degenerative cervical spondylosis is a common neurosurgical problem, not much has been published about the hereditary factors responsible for it. The authors report on a set of identical twins who presented to their service at a relatively young age with myelopathy due to degenerative cervical disc prolapse and who needed surgery. The early age of presentation and the fact that the patients were identical twins suggest a genetic element. The authors also review the available literature on the genetic factors in the causation of degenerative cervical spondylosis. To the best of their knowledge this is the first reported instance of identical twins with cervical myelopathy at a young age needing curative surgery.