Ankylosing spondylitis complicated with andersson lesion in the lower cervical spine: A case report

BACKGROUND: Andersson lesion (AL) is an uncommon complication in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), which is characterized by nonneoplastic bone destruction and often appears as bone destruction and sclerosis in the vertebral body and/or the area involving the intervertebral disc. According to the literature, Andersson lesion commonly occur in the thoracic and lumbar spine and rarely in the cervical spine. CASE SUMMARY: This case involved a 78-year-old man with a long history of AS who developed AL in the cervical spine (C5/6 and C6/7). One-stage anterior-posterior approach surgery was successfully performed. At the 6-month follow-up, the pain was significantly reduced, and the limb function was gradually improved. CONCLUSION: AL uncharacteristically appears in the cervical spine and tends to be misdiagnosed as vertebral metastases or spinal tuberculosis. Posterior combined with anterior surgery achieves solid biological stabilization in the treatment of AL bone destruction.