Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis with cervical spinal cord injury -a report of 3 cases and a literature review.

INTRODUCTION Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), though common, is often asymptomatic. However, spinal hyperostosis can predispose the affected to chronic myelopathic symptoms and acute spinal cord injury. CLINICAL PICTURE We report on 3 patients with DISH, who sustained traumatic cervical cord injuries. Two were tetraplegic at presentation. The radiologic findings of the patients are also discussed. TREATMENT Both the tetraplegic patients were treated non-surgically in view of high surgical risk. OUTCOME Both the tetraplegic patients died due to mechanical respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS The potential catastrophic neurological sequelae of DISH from relatively minor trauma must be understood. Further studies are needed to aid in evidence-based clinical management of asymptomatic patients with DISH.