Spondylolysis following trauma. A case report and review of the literature.
A 31-year-old woman who had an apparently normal lumbosacral spine, developed a unilateral spondylolysis of L4 following injury, and then one year later, roentgenographically showed a bilateral spondylolysis. The cause of spondylolysis was not established, but several theories have been proposed, the most attractive of which is that this condition represents a stress fracture through an area of bone predisposed to fracture. The classifications of spondylolysis and the etiologic theories demonstrate that this case cannot be convincingly classified according to the usual criteria. However, trauma was documented and may have been a significant etiologic factor of spondylolysis.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D011859:Radiography; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000209:etiology*; D013169:Spondylolysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*