Cervical myelopathy in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. Case report.

The case of a rapidly progressive cervical myelopathy in a 64-year-old man is presented. Radiological studies revealed a partial extradural block, which at surgery was found to be a focal fibrous, calcified mass associated with the ligamentum flavum. On the basis of the underlying disorder of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), the etiology of this compression was concluded to be focal fibrous proliferation and dystrophic calcification. The neurological complications of DISH are reviewed. The authors are not aware of any other reports of this cause of myelopathy associated with DISH.