Expert’s comment concerning Grand Rounds case entitled “Late collapse osteoporotic vertebral fracture in an elderly patient with neurological compromise” (D. Ruiz Picazo, J. Ramírez Villaescusa, E. Portero Martínez, F. Do?ate Pérez)

摘要

This article describes very well a common and increasing problem in the daily routine of the spine surgeon [1]. The mentioned problem is more frequent than literature would suppose.The combination of factors that may lead to severe complications in the natural history of osteoporotic fractures is worked out very well. The relevant factors to identify patients at risk are described in a very complete way, as well as the diagnostic evaluation.The chosen treatment is adequate. It has been a good choice to decompress the spinal canal including resection of the posterior wall fragments, because after 3 months period, since the fracture occurred an indirect clearance of the canal by reduction only is mostly not possible even in osteoporotic fractures with pseudarthrosis.