Spinal Fractures Complicating Ankylosing Spondylitis

✍ Scribed by Thomas Hunter; Hyman I. C. Dubo

• Book ID: 102752750
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1983
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 731 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780260608

✦ Synopsis

Twenty-two spinal fractures in 20 patients with chronic ankylosing spondylitis are reported. Nineteen fractures occurred in the cervical region. Fourteen of the fractures were caused by minor falls, 3 by falls down steps, 4 by motor vehicle accidents, and 1 by cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Long-term followup (mean 3.2 years) of 9 fractures diagnosed early and managed conservatively showed bony union of all fractures. No patient deteriorated neurologically and 3 patients made maor recovery. Long-term followup is also reported on 6 patients in whom the diagnosis was delayed. The difficulties in diagnosis and management are discussed.

In 1978 we reported 8 patients with chronic ankylosing spondylitis complicated by spinal fracture and we reviewed 56 patients previously reported in the English language literature (1). The experience from these small series gathered from a number of centers suggested that the ankylosed cervical region was the most common site of fracture, that minor trauma was the most common cause of the fracture, and that radiographic visualization of the fracture site may be difficult.