Clinical management of injured patients with ankylosing spondylitis

摘要

Ankylosing spondylitis has a prevalence of approximately 1 in 1000 in the UK.1 Up to 6% of these patients are estimated to experience a vertebral fracture during their lifetime.2 The incidence of major neurological complications following fracture, is high (29-92%) with considerable associated morbidity and mortality. The rate of missed fractures in this population is not formally reported in the literature. We present four cases of missed spinal fracture in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and discuss the management of such patients.