A case of slack spinal cord secondary to lumbar vertebral collapse.

BACKGROUND

Slack or kinking of the spinal cord due to compression lesions is rare.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 73-year-old woman sustained a vertebral compression fracture at L1 following a fall. Progressive vertebral collapse caused upward displacement of the conus medullaris and slackening of the spinal cord, leading to bilateral thigh pain and myelopathic symptoms. Decompression and fixation surgery were performed. Due to osteoporosis, screws were inserted through the endplates and augmented with bone cement to prevent implant failure. Postoperatively, the patient's symptoms resolved, and her neurological function improved.

CONCLUSION

When the spinal cord becomes slack due to compression at the thoracolumbar junction, symptoms of both cauda equina tension and myelopathy may develop. Surgical decompression and fixation can restore the spinal cord morphology and improve neurological function.