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Bamboo spine

A bamboo spine is seen in ankylosing spondylitis as a result of fusion of the anterior and posterior elements. Predisposes to unstable fractures, and Anderson lesions.

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System: Musculoskeletal

Section: Signs

Tags: stub, refs

Article ID: 962

Contributed by Dr Frank Gaillard on May 2, 2008

Last edited by Dr Jeremy Jones 11 months ago

Case 1

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$6 weeks later This patient with well known ankylosing spondylitis had a fall. CT at the time demonstrated a bamboo spinal fracture though his fused cervical spine. 6 weeks later later no bony union had yet occurred and appearances were consistent with the development of a pseudoarthrosis. $

Case 2 : With fracture

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Bamboo Forest Photo of bamboo to illustrate bamboo spine. Author: Jesper Rautell BalleOriginal file: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jrballe_bamboo_forest_Susukinobabacho_001.JPGModifications: none or cropped etc...License: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. In short: you are free to distribute and modify the file as long as you attribute its author(s) or licensor(s).

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