Case report of Kummell's disease with delayed onset myelopathy and the literature review.

Introduction: Kummell's disease is an avascular necrosis of the vertebral body, secondary to a vertebral compression fracture. This entity is characterised by the gradual development in time of a vertebral body collapse following a trivial spinal trauma, involving a worsening back pain associated with a progressive kyphosis.

Purposes: The aim of this article is to carry out an international literature review regarding Kummell's disease, addressing its physiopathology, histopathology, clinical presentation, radiological characteristics and treatment modalities; at the same time, the literature is updated through the description of a new and interesting case, symbol of the pathology long-term potential complications, if not diagnosed and therefore not suitably treated.

Acute collapse of thoracic vertebral bodies after long-term steroid treatment in leprosy.

Prolonged steroid therapy may produce sufficient osteoporosis to permit collapse of a vertebral body. Decompressive laminectomy and aggressive postoperative therapy can give gratifying results. One can postulate whether these results are related in any way to the protective effect of the steroid being taken during the time of the collapse of the vertebral bodies.