title: [Spinal cord compression in bone fluorosis. Apropos of 4 cases].
abstract: The authors report four cases of spinal cord compression (three at cervical level and one at dorsal level) due to vertebral osteosclerosis secondary to chronic fluoride intoxication. Roentgenograms showed typical diffuse densification of vertebral bodies, calcifications of bony insertions of many ligaments, discs and interosseous membranes. Urinary fluoride was markedly increased in two cases. In the other two cases the bone biopsy was suggestive of skeletal fluorosis. Spinal computed tomography showed severe cord compression due to posterior osteophytes. Good improvement was observed after surgical decompression in one case. Fluorosis was described as a consequence of endemic exposure to high fluoride content in soil and natural ground water in North Africa. Fluorotic myelopathy was due to bone excrescences mainly affecting the spine.
authors.affiliation: Unité de neurologie, hôpital Charles-Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mrabet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fredj
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Ammou
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tounsi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haddad
mesh_terms: D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005458:Fluoride Poisoning / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000150:complications; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery
vernacular_title: Compressions médullaires au cours de la fluorose osseuse. A propos de quatre cas.