title: Extravertebral gas and fluid effusions associated with vertebral collapse containing a vacuum cleft possibly result from a pumping phenomenon: a new evidence of the dynamic hydro-pneumatical nature of the so-called vacuum phenomenon.
abstract: We report two very unusual observations in which gas and fluid effusions were transiently and unexpectedly found in the extravertebral spaces of patients presenting with painful necrotic vertebral collapse containing a vacuum cleft. We hypothesize that gas and/or fluid which progressively may replace vacuum in vertebral compression fractures could be secondarily pumped through extravertebral and retroperitoneal spaces. Although being rare, these observations may represent a potential missing link in the imaging snapshots of the cyclic and dynamic vacuum phenomenon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Clinique St Luc, Rue St Luc 8, B-5004 Bouge (Namur), Belgium. bcoulier@skynet.be
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coulier
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004487:Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005740:Gases / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007424:Intracellular Fluid; D058498:Kyphoplasty; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D005740:Gases