Spinal Cord Injury Caused by Minor Trauma in a Patient with Silent Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum: Case Report and Review

Abstract

Background and Importance: Acute spinal cord injury without an apparent spinal fracture/dislocation in an asymptomatic subject with silent thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF) is an extremely rare with only seven fully documented example with this specific scenario in the literature. Case Presentation: A previously healthy middle-aged woman with a history of MRI documented silent TOLF who developed sever weakness of the lower limbs immediately after a minor fall is presented. Repeat MRI revealed appearance of a myelopathy at the site of the preexisting silent T10-T11 OLF. Laminectomy and excision of the O LF result in complete recovery within 6 months. Conclusion: We believe that our asymptomatic patient should had undergone prophylactic surgical intervention before this catastrophic event. In a survey of medical literature, we found that the presented case is the first example with MRI documented TOLF in its silence period.

Keywords

• fall
• laminectomy
• ligamentum flavum
• ossification
• spinal cord injury