STUDY DESIGN: We report on a 69-year-old male who had severe back pain due to spontaneous symptomatic pseudoarthrosis at the T11-T12 intervertebral space with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. OBJECTIVE: To describe a rare clinical entity and successful treatment by spinal fusion with a 4-year follow-up. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There have been a few reports of spontaneous symptomatic pseudoarthrosis of an intervertebral space associated with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, but there have been no reports of surgical treatment for this clinical condition. METHODS: Plain radiographs of the patient, who was admitted to our hospital with severe back pain but no history of trauma, revealed manifestations of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis and a pseudoarthrosis at the T11-T12 intervertebral space. Posterior instrumentation from T9 to L2 and anterior bone grafting at the T11-T12 intervertebral space were performed. RESULTS: The patient has been followed for 4 years and is currently asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: A rare case of spontaneous symptomatic pseudoarthrosis at the T11-T12 intervertebral space with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis was treated successfully by spinal fusion.
STUDY DESIGN: We report on a 69-year-old male who had severe back pain due to spontaneous symptomatic pseudoarthrosis at the T11-T12 intervertebral space with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. OBJECTIVE: To describe a rare clinical entity and successful treatment by spinal fusion with a 4-year follow-up. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There have been a few reports of spontaneous symptomatic pseudoarthrosis of an intervertebral space associated with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, but there have been no reports of surgical treatment for this clinical condition. METHODS: Plain radiographs of the patient, who was admitted to our hospital with severe back pain but no history of trauma, revealed manifestations of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis and a pseudoarthrosis at the T11-T12 intervertebral space. Posterior instrumentation from T9 to L2 and anterior bone grafting at the T11-T12 intervertebral space were performed. RESULTS: The patient has been followed for 4 years and is currently asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: A rare case of spontaneous symptomatic pseudoarthrosis at the T11-T12 intervertebral space with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis was treated successfully by spinal fusion.