Posttraumatic vertebral body necrosis (Kümmell-Verneuil disease). Case report of a rare orthopaedic disease with histopathological correlation.

Abstract

We report the case of a delayed partial posttraumatic vertebral body necrosis (PVBN) 1 year after a spinal trauma. Operative treatment became necessary due to incipient paraplegia. PVBN, also known as Kümmell-Verneuil's disease, can occur as a rare but serious complication several months or even years after a spinal trauma. Radiologically, it often presents with an intravertebral vacuum phenomenon. The underlying reasons for the necrosis as mentioned in the literature seem to be an initial microtrauma, metabolic disturbances and primarily overlooked compression fractures. Histologically, it resembles a pseudarthrosis with only little bony reparation, as in an avascular femoral head necrosis.