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Vertebral Body Collapse

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Diseases of the Spinal Cord

Part of the book series: Clinical Medicine and the Nervous System ((CLIN.MED.NERV.))

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Abstract

Vertebral collapse is not an uncommon finding post mortem, present in 20%–30% of autopsies when sought (Fornasier and Czitrom 1978; Sartoris et al. 1986) and may be due to many aetiologies. In general, collapse of the anterior structures of the vertebral body is due either to infection or neoplasm, usually metastatic, or to a more generalized process causing osteopenia, e.g. metabolic, neoplastic or inflammatory disorders. In these conditions minor trauma may finally precipitate vertebral fracture. Involvement of the posterior vertebral structures by infection (Roberts 1988) or neoplasia is uncommon as metastatic disease usually involves the vascular tufts just deep to the end plate (Waldvogel et al. 1970). Inflammatory involvement of the facet joints is not uncommon, particularly in rheumatoid disease, but rarely causes vertebral collapse.

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Authors
  1. J. P. R. Dick
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Royal Preston Hospital, Sharoe Green Lane, PR2 4HT, Preston, Lancashire, UK

    Edmund Critchley DM, FRCP (Consultant Neurologist) (Consultant Neurologist)

  2. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4E3, Canada

    Andrew Eisen MD, FRCP(C) (Professor of Medicine (Neurology), Head of the Neuromuscular Disease Unit) (Professor of Medicine (Neurology), Head of the Neuromuscular Disease Unit)

  3. Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 4E3, Canada

    Andrew Eisen MD, FRCP(C) (Professor of Medicine (Neurology), Head of the Neuromuscular Disease Unit) (Professor of Medicine (Neurology), Head of the Neuromuscular Disease Unit)

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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Dick, J.P.R. (1992). Vertebral Body Collapse. In: Critchley, E., Eisen, A. (eds) Diseases of the Spinal Cord. Clinical Medicine and the Nervous System. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3353-7_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3353-7_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-3355-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-3353-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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