Spontaneous kyphotic collapse followed by autostabilisation secondary to cervical osteomyelitis in an intravenous drug abuser.

There is a high risk of cervical osteomyelitis in intravenous drug abusers due to the use of jugular veins for administration of drugs. Here described is a case of rapid vertebral body destruction at two levels leading to a progressive kyphotic deformity followed by autofusion, secondary to cervical osteomyelitis. The case report goes on to hypothesise about the unique manner of progression of untreated cervical osteomyelitis with a rapid onset of kyphotic deformity and associated severe bone destruction in an intravenous drug abuser.