Kummell's Disease Treated with Conservative Management: A case report.

, Kim, Won; , Kim, Kyoung Eun; , Lim, Jae Young

Case Report

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2007;31(6):776-780.

Kim, Won , Kim, Kyoung Eun , Lim, Jae Young

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Korea. drlim1@snu.ac.kr

보존적 요법으로 치료한 큄멜병 1례 - 증례 보고 -

김원, 김경은, 임재영

서울대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실, 분당서울대학교병원 재활의학과

Abstract

Kümmell's disease is a rare disorder defined as delayed avascular necrosis of a vertebral body after minor trauma. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation of delayed onset back pain and kyphosis after minor trauma, and on intravertebral vacuum cleft in radiologic examination. Vertebroplasty or surgical management is necessary to the patients with risks of vertebral collapse or cord compromise, but we experienced a successful result after active conservative management to a patient with severe vertebral collapse and mild spinal cord compression without myelopathy. A 76-year old woman had back pain and gait disturbance 7 weeks after fall down. X-ray and MRI showed a vacuum cleft in T12 vertebra. We treated her conservatively with bed rest and immobilization followed by gradual weight bearing with thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis. Back pain and gait disturbance was improved after conservative management, and the improvement was maintained until 8 months after fall down. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2007; 31: 776-780)

Key Words: Kü, mmell's disease, Vertebral collapse, Osteonecrosis