Differentiating between Traumatic Pathology and Congenital Variant: A Case Report of Butterfly Vertebra.
Butterfly vertebra is a rare congenital malformation of the spine, which is usually reported in the literature as an isolated finding. We describe a 40-year-old woman that presented to our emergency department with back pain and sciatica. Initial radiological evaluation revealed an incidental finding of a L4 butterfly vertebra in the anteroposterior and lateral view radiographs. The patient presented with no neurological deficit. This rare congenital anomaly is usually asymptomatic, and awareness of its non-traumatic nature is critical in order to establish a correct diagnosis. Further evaluation of the patient is necessary to exclude pathologic fracture, infection, or associated vertebral anomalies and syndromes, such as Alagille, Jarcho-Levin, Crouzon, and Pfeiffer syndromes. Furthermore, in the emergency setting, awareness of this entity is needed so that a correct diagnosis can be established.
Third Orthopaedic Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Orestis
O
Karargyris
Third Orthopaedic Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Kalliopi
K
Lampropoulou-Adamidou
Third Orthopaedic Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Lampros-Guiseppe
LG
Morassi
Third Orthopaedic Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Ioannis P
IP
Stathopoulos
Second Department of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine Section, University General Hospital Attikon, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Chaidari, Greece.
Sofia N
SN
Chatziioannou
Third Orthopaedic Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Athens, KAT General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Spyros G
SG
Pneumaticos
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Butterfly vertebra; Congenital anomalies; Congenital defect; Congenital malformation; Vertebral anomalies