Mid-lumbar traumatic spondyloptosis without neurological deficit: A case report and literature review

Spondyloptosis is a severe form of vertebral dislocation typically caused by high-impact injuries. It often leads to spinal instability and neurological damage. This paper discusses a rare case where a patient experienced complete vertebral dislocation in the mid-lumbar region without any neurological deficits. The patient, a 42-year-old man, suffered a fall and presented with severe back pain and spinal deformity. Despite the severity of the dislocation, he retained normal neurological function. The treatment involved surgical reduction and stabilization of the spine. The patient underwent surgery to correct the spinal deformity, which included fracture reduction, fusion, and internal fixation. Three months post-surgery, the patient was pain-free and fully rehabilitated. A year later, he remained asymptomatic with normal spinal alignment.

• 1
  The study reports a rare case of L3 to L4 traumatic spondyloptosis with intact neurology, which is the first reported case of its kind involving complete posterior column and neural sparing in the mid-lumbar region.
• 2
  The patient's intact neurological function despite severe dislocation was attributed to a 'saving fracture' of the bilateral pedicle, which enlarged the spinal canal and preserved the dura sac.
• 3
  Surgical intervention involving fracture reduction, intervertebral fusion, and internal fixation successfully restored spinal alignment and stability, leading to a full recovery for the patient.