Which statement best describes acquired central canal stenosis?

• A. Caused by congenital anomalies
• B. Caused by degenerative changes
• C. Caused by trauma
• D. Caused by infection

Answer: (B)

Acquired central canal stenosis mainly comes from degenerative changes in the spine that gradually narrow the canal. With age, discs lose height and bulge, osteophytes form on vertebral bodies and facet joints, and ligaments such as the ligamentum flavum and posterior longitudinal ligament thicken or ossify. These structural changes reduce the cross-sectional area of the central canal and compress the spinal cord or cauda equina. Congenital narrowing is present from birth, not acquired, and trauma or infection can cause stenosis but through different, less typical mechanisms. So degenerative changes best describe the acquired form.