[A RARE CAUSE OF THORACIC MYELOPATHY: THE OSSIFICATION OF THE LIGAMENTUM FLAVUM].

Ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a rare cause of thoracic myelopathy. Mostly described in Japan and East Asia, a number of cases have recently been reported in western subjects. We present the case of a patient, an asymptomatic carrier of lumbar canal stenosis, presenting with a slowly progressive posterior cord compression and a T12 sensitive level. The diagnosis of thoracic OLF was retrospectively made thanks to medical imaging. We reviewed the literature and focused on the epidemiology, physiopathology, presentation, treatment and prognosis of the thoracic OLJ with or without lumbar spinal stenosis.