Case Report
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Jan 26, 2023; 11(3): 655-661
Published online Jan 26, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i3.655
Young thoracic vertebra diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis with Scheuermann disease: A case report
Wen-Zheng Liu, Zheng-Qi Chang, Zhe-Ming Bao
Wen-Zheng Liu, The First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250000, Shandong Province, China
Wen-Zheng Liu, Zheng-Qi Chang, Zhe-Ming Bao, Department of Orthopedics, 960th Hospital of PLA, Jinan 250031, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: Liu WZ and Chang ZQ conceived the research, performed clinical examinations, and wrote and revised the manuscript; Bao ZM and Chang ZQ evaluated the imaging of the patient; and all authors contributed to the article and approved the final version. Liu WZ and Bao ZM are co-first authors of the article.
Informed consent statement: The patient described in this report provided verbal informed consent.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Zheng-Qi Chang, MD, Associate Chief Physician, Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedics, 960th Hospital of PLA, No. 25 Shifan Road, Tianqiao District, Jinan 250031, Shandong Province, China. 26766771@qq.com
Received: September 29, 2022
Peer-review started: September 29, 2022
First decision: December 13, 2022
Revised: December 15, 2022
Accepted: January 5, 2023
Article in press: January 5, 2023
Published online: January 26, 2023
Processing time: 119 Days and 8.7 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a disorder characterised by the calcification and ossification of ligaments and entheses. It is a frequent occurrence in elderly males, but rarely encountered in younger individuals.

CASE SUMMARY

A 24-year-old male was admitted to the hospital due to low back pain accompanied with numbness in both lower limbs for 10 d. Upon clinical examination and imaging tests, the patient was diagnosed with DISH with Scheuermann disease and thoracic spinal stenosis. Before the operation and medical treatment, the patient had hypoesthesia of the skin below the xiphoid process. Afterward, a standard laminectomy was conducted using ultrasonic bone curette and internal fixation was applied. Subsequently, the patient was given corticosteroids, neurotrophic drugs, hyperbaric oxygen and electric stimulation. As a result of the treatment, the patient’s sensory level decreased to the navel level and there was no major change in the muscle strength of the lower limbs. During follow-up, the patient’s skin sensation has returned to normal.

CONCLUSION

This case is a rare instance of DISH co-existing with Scheuermann’s disease in a young adult. This provides a valuable reference point for spine surgeons, as DISH is more commonly observed in middle-aged and elder adults.

Keywords: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis; Scheuermann disease; Thoracic spinal stenosis; Case report

Core Tip: This case report presents a rare instance of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in a 24-year-old male patient, which is a condition that is usually seen in elderly males. The patient was also diagnosed with Scheuermann disease. By providing clinical data and treatment experience of this patient, it is hoped that it will help to improve the understanding of related diseases, and reduce the chances of misdiagnosis.