Ossification of ligamentum flavum, a rare cause of myelopathy: First case report of a Lebanese patient

Abstract

Ossification of ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a well-known pathology causing myelopathy, although it is a rare disease. The most commonly affected population is from the Far East and mainly Japanese. However, few reports and studies have shown the prevalence of the disease all over the world. We report the case of a 33-year-old man presenting with signs of progressive myelopathy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed Th2-Th11 OLF with severe narrowing and intramedullary hypersignal at the level Th2-Th3. This is the first Lebanese case reported in the literature. A decompressive laminectomy with flavectomy was done. This case adds to the previous reported cases on the occurrence of the disease in different populations.

Hypertrophied posterior longitudinal ligament and ligamentum flavum causing myelopathy: a case report and literature review

“…Very few cases are reported in the literature on HPLL causing thoracic myelopathy [1,2]. In a similar vein, although the ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a well-documented cause of thoracic myelopathy, the hypertrophied ligamentum flavum (HLF) leading to thoracic myelopathy is a relatively rare disorder [3,4]. Further, the reports on continuous multilevel involvement of HLF are scanty [5].…”