Abstract
We report a case of severe cervical spinal stenosis due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) whose clinical examination showed no symptoms or signs of neurological damage (“silent OPLL”). Questions about the diagnosis and the treatment of silent OPLL are discussed in the light of published data.
Sommario
Viene riportato un caso di grave stenosi del canale cervicale dovuta ad ossificazione del legamento longitudinale posteriore (OPLL) che all'esame clinico non mostrava alcun sintomo o segno di danno neurologico (OPLL “silente”). I problemi diagnostici e terapeutici dell'OPLL silente vengono discussi alla luce dei dati riportati in letteratura.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albisinni U., Merlini L., Terayama K., Othsuka K., Savini R.:Epidemiologia radiografica delle ossificazioni dei legamenti e della degenerazione discale del rachide cervicale. Chir. Org. Mov. 70: 15–22, 1985.
Breidhal P.:Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in the cervical spine. “The Japanese disease”. Australian Rad. 13:311–313, 1969.
Coste F., Guiot G., Verspyck R., Basset M., Laurent F.:Paraplégie par hyperostose vertébrale postérieure. Rev. Rhum. 23:310–313, 1956.
Epstein N., Epstein J., Benjamin V., Ransohoff J.:Traumatic myelopathy in patients with cervical spinal stenosis without fracture or dislocation. Spine 5:489–496, 1980.
Gui L., Merlini L., Savini R., Davidovits P.:Cervical myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. It. J. Orthop. Traumat. 9: 269–280, 1983.
Merlini L., Albisinni U., Savini R.:Paraparesis from cauda equina compression due to disc herniation of LA-L5, in a patient with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) at LA-L5 and C4–C5. Skeletal Radiol. 15:488–491, 1986.
Merlini L., Davidovits P., Savini R.:La Tac nella mielopatia cervicale. Arch. Ortop. Reum. 96: 175–179, 1983.
Ono K., Ota H., Tada K., Hamada H., Takaoka T.:Ossified posterior longitudinal ligament. A clinico-pathologic study. Spine 2: 126–138, 1977.
Resnick D., Guerra J. Jr. Robinson C.A., Vint V.C.:Association of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and calcification and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Am. J. Roentgenol. 131: 1049–1053, 1978.
Terayama K.:Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament in the cervical spine. Orthop. Surg. (Jpn) 15: 1083–1095, 1964.
Tsuyama N., Terayama K. et al:The ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (OPLL). J. Jpn. Orthop. Ass. 55: 425–440, 1981.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Merlini, L., Granata, C., Albisinni, U. et al. Severe cervical stenosis due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament without neurological manifestations (“silent OPLL”). Ital J Neuro Sci 10, 93–96 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02333879
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02333879