Calcification of the intervertebral disc and ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament in children

BACKGROUND: IDC in children, first reported by Baron in 1924, is very rare. OPLL of the cervical spine mainly affect people ages 50–70 years. The coexistence of IDC and OPLL in children is very rare, only six cases with 3 to 24 months’ follow-up were reported to date. CASE PRESENTATION: A 6-year-old boy presented with complains of neck pain at July 2007. The boy was treated by conservative treatment and observed up for 9 years. Neck pain greatly improved after a one-month conservative treatment and never recur. Laboratory tests revealed elevated ESR and CRP at admission and found nothing abnormal at 19-month and 9-year follow-up. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed IDC at C2/3, C3/4 and OPLL at C3/4 at admission and found minor calcification at C2/3 remained but calcification at C3/4 and OPLL at C3/4 completely disappeared at 19-month and 9-year follow-up. Nineteen months after initial diagnosis, restoration of T2-weighted signal intensity of C2/3 and C3/4 discs was observed through MRI. Loss of T2-weighted signal intensity of C2/3 disc and decrease of T2-weighted signal intensity of C3/4 disc was observed at 9-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: IDC with OPLL in children is very rare. Conservative treatments are recommended with affirmative short-term and long-term clinical effects. More intensive observation with long-term follow-ups may be needed to warrant the clinical effects.