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A compression fracture is a collapse of a vertebra. It may be due to trauma or due to a weakening of the vertebra (compare with burst fracture ). This weakening is seen in patients with osteoporosis or osteogenesis imperfecta , lytic lesions from metastatic or primary tumors , [ 1 ] or infection. [ 2 ]
Spinal cord compression is a form of myelopathy in which the spinal cord is compressed. Causes can be bone fragments from a vertebral fracture, a tumor , abscess , ruptured intervertebral disc or other lesion.
Gibbus deformity is a form of structural kyphosis typically found in the upper lumbar and lower thoracic vertebrae, where one or more adjacent vertebrae become wedged. Gibbus deformity most often develops in young children as a result of spinal tuberculosis and is the result of collapse of vertebral bodies.
Hemivertebrae are wedge-shaped vertebrae and therefore can cause an angle in the spine (such as kyphosis, scoliosis, and lordosis). Among the congenital vertebral anomalies, hemivertebrae are the most likely to cause neurologic problems. [5] The most common location is the midthoracic vertebrae, especially the eighth (T8). [6]
The spinal canal may become narrowed due to abscesses, granulation tissue, or direct dural invasion resulting in compression of cord and neurological deficits. [3] Kyphosis is a result of the front of the spine collapsing. Injury to the thoracic spine are more likely to result in kyphosis compared to lumbar spine injuries. [3]
Thoracic spinal stenosis, at the level of the mid-back, is much less common. [13] In lumbar stenosis, the spinal nerve roots in the lower back are compressed which can lead to symptoms of sciatica (tingling, weakness, or numbness that radiates from the low back and into the buttocks and legs). [citation needed]
In the lumbar spine it is commonly used to treat spinal claudication caused by spinal stenosis, and is considered the most effective treatment for this condition based on current evidence. [3] In the cervical and thoracic spine it is used to treat myelopathy caused by compression of the spinal cord itself.
Schmorl's nodes are fairly common, especially with minor degeneration of the aging spine, but they are also seen in younger spines. Schmorl's nodes often cause no symptoms, but may simply reflect that "wear and tear" of the spine has occurred over time; they may also reflect that bone strength was at one time somewhat compromised, perhaps due to a vitamin D deficiency although this has yet to ...