Seiichi Odate, Jitsuhiko Shikata, Shunsuke Fujibayashi, Naoki Hosaka, Tsunemitsu Soeda, Hiroaki Kimura


November 2012, Volume 21, Issue 12, pp 2436 - 2442 Original Article Read Full Article 10.1007/s00586-012-2410-0

First Online: 21 June 2012

Purpose

We describe cases presenting with progressive thoracic myelopathy after lumbopelvic fusion attributed to proximal junctional vertebral compression fracture (PJF) followed by spinal calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition.

Methods

The study included six patients, ranging from 62 to 75 years. All patients had been treated previously with lumbopelvic fusion. The mean period from the detection of PJF to the onset of myelopathy was 4.8 months. Notably, five patients demonstrated upper-instrumented vertebra (UIV) collapse.

Results

After revision surgery involving decompressive laminectomy and extension of the spinal fusion, all patients experienced significant improvement. Photomicrographs of the resected ligamentum flavum showed CPPD crystals and multinucleated giant cells.

Conclusions

The combination of mechanical stress plus PJF and CPPD crystal deposition followed by a foreign body reaction to the deposited crystals caused myelopathy. Patients with radiographic evidence of PJF, especially UIV collapse, after lumbopelvic fusion should be followed carefully for the emergence of myelopathy.


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