Spinal Cord Injury-an Unusual Presentation for Advanced Asymptomatic Ankylosing Spondylitis.

PURPOSE: Ankylosing spondylitis affects the axial skeleton over many years, predisposing to osteoporosis and subsequent fractures. However, very rarely, it can be incidentally discovered in spinal cord injury cases.

CASE REPORT: A 44-year-old male veteran who had previously been well and asymptomatic presented with paraparesis secondary to fractured dorsal vertebrae 10 and 11, following fall from a height. He had been referred to our institute for rehabilitation after surgical fixation of his vertebral fractures. X-rays of his spine, done after the injury brought to light the incidental finding of advanced ankylosing spondylitis.

CONCLUSION

Ankylosing spondylitis can be asymptomatic in a minority of patients, highlighting the importance of keeping a high index of suspicion, especially in patients presenting with vertebral fractures with/without spinal cord injury following relatively minor trauma.