Dysphagia complications in ankylosing spinal hyperostosis and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Roentgenographic findings of the developmental process of cervical osteophytes causing dysphagia.

This is the first report of the process of formulation of a cervical osteophyte causing dysphagia. The patient had ankylosing spinal hyperostosis and OPLL and was followed radiographically for a long time before the onset of dysphagia. The radiological observation suggested that dysphagia was produced when the immobile part of the esophagus was compressed by the anterior projecting cervical osteophyte. The immobility of the esophagus is an important factor in determining whether dysphagia occurs. Another possible contributing factor to dysphagia in this patient was the ossification of the cervical anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments. The OPLL affected intervertebral segmental motion and induced the formation of anterior projecting cervical osteophytes.