Thoracic Myelopathy Resulting from a Ventral Osteosclerotic Lesion: A Rare Case Report

Abstract

Melorheostosis is a rare type of sclerosing bone dysplasia with an incidence of approximately 0.9 per million individuals. This disease predominantly affects the appendicular skeleton, with rare involvement of the axial skeleton. Patients with spinal melorheostosis may present with symptoms such as scoliosis, stiffness, back pain, progressive myelopathy, radiculopathy, and vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Surgical management for spinal melorheostosis has been reported, but it remains exceedingly rare. Here, we present the case of a 67-year-old woman with incidental findings on thoracic vertebral imaging from a preoperative chest computed tomography scan performed for shoulder surgery. The patient had experienced gait disturbances and mild, motion-related back pain for approximately 2 to 3 years, along with a recent symptom of mild tingling sensations in both feet. A diagnosis of spinal melorheostosis was considered based on the characteristic imaging findings. In this case, rather than prioritizing the severity of the current symptoms, we focused on the location and extent of osteosclerotic lesions, which are directly associated with the potential development of neurological complications. Therefore, we opted for surgical treatment involving decompression and screw fixation. The patient’s symptoms were relieved without significant surgical complications over a 1-year follow-up period.