Cauda Equina Syndrome due to Lumbar Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament - A Case Report -

Min-Woo Kim; Kyu Yeol Lee

doi:10.4184/jkss.2016.23.1.36

Journal List > J Korean Soc Spine Surg > v.23(1) > 1076117

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Kim and Lee: Cauda Equina Syndrome due to Lumbar Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament - A Case Report -

Case Report

Journal of Korean Spine Surg 2016;23(1):36-40.

Published online: 31 March 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4184/jkss.2016.23.1.36

Cauda Equina Syndrome due to Lumbar Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament - A Case Report -

Min-Woo Kim, M.D., Kyu Yeol Lee, M.D.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Dong A University

Corresponding author: Kyu Yeol Lee, M.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, 1, Dongdaesin-dong 3-ga, Seo-gu, Busan 602-715, Korea TEL: +82-51-240-2867, FAX: +82-51-243-9764 E-mail: gylee@dau.ac.kr

Received 26 August 201527 August 2015 Accepted 1 December 2015

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Study Design

A case report.

Objectives

To report a rare case of cauda equina syndrome due to lumbar ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL).

Summary of Literature Review

Lumbar OPLL with neurologic symptoms is very rare.

Materials and Methods

A 49-year-old female had experienced weakness in both lower extremities and radiating pain for 1 day prior to presentation. Simple radiography and CT showed OPLL at the L1-L2 level. We performed a total laminectomy and posterolateral fusion at the L1-L2 level using a posterior approach.

Results

After treatment, the patient showed improvement of symptoms and is currently living without discomfort.

Conclusions

Cauda equina syndrome due to lumbar OPLL is rare; however, rapid neurologic recovery can be achieved through early diagnosis and surgery.

Keywords: Cauda equina syndrome, Ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament

REFERENCES

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Fig. 1.

A plain lateral radiograph of the lumbar spine shows ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) (arrows) at the T12-L1 and L1-L2 levels.

Fig. 2.

(A) A sagittal view of a CT scan shows ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) at the T12-L1 and L1-L2 levels, (B) An axial CT image at L1-L2 shows OPLL, (C) An axial CT image at the endplate superior to L2 shows narrowing of the spinal canal space by OPLL.

Fig. 3.

Sagittal T2- (A) and T1- (B) weighted MRI images show ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) at the T12-L1 and L1-2 levels, Axial T2- (C) and T1- (D) weighted MRI images show OPLL distinct from the disc at the L1-L2 level.

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