Avascular necrosis of a vertebral body.

Avascular necrosis of a vertebral body, a relatively uncommon entity, is caused by malignancy, infection, radiation, systemic steroid treatment, trauma, and the like.1 Vertebral osteonecrosis induced by trauma is called Kvmell's disease, because it was initially described by Hermann Kvmell of Germany in 1891.2 This paper reported a young female with posttraumatic vertebral osteonecrosis and analyzed the causes. She was treated by thoracoscopic surgery successfully.