OBJECTIVE: Diffuse the method of Benzel for calibration of cervical angulation and to assess the prevalence of each type of Benzel's diamond between 30 patients with cervical myelopathy with an indication for surgical treatment. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients with cervical myelopathy treated surgically. We analyzed lateral radiographs of cervical spine where the diamonds were measured using the techniques described by the author himself. We excluded patients who developed disease following trauma, who underwent reoperations or those who have not provided adequate lateral radiographs for measurement. RESULTS: We evaluated 30 patients, of whom 25 were male, aged between 30 and 74 years (mean 52.4 years). After completion of the measures 24 patients were found with diamond type A (80%), 2 with type B (6.7%) and 4 with type C (13.3%). CONCLUSION: The Benzel diamond "A" was found in 80% of patients with cervical myelopathy in the preoperative evaluation.
Spine; Spinal cord diseases; Kyphosis; Cervical myelopathy
