Yellow Ligament Calcification Complicated by Cervical Myelopathy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Calcification of the yellow ligament (CLJ) of the cervical spine is a rare condition, described mainly in Japanese. We report a new case of CLJ of the cervical spine causing cervical myelopathy in a 62-year-old Moroccan patient. The myelopathy was revealed by spastic tetraparesis and posterior cord syndrome. The diagnosis of spinal cord compression was made by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The CT scan showed massive calcification of the yellow ligament at C4-C5 compressing the right posterolateral aspect of the spinal cord. Treatment consisted of laminectomy of C4-C5 with resection of the calcified yellow ligament. The evolution was rapidly favorable, with complete regression of the symptomatology. CLJ is an extremely rare disease. Its diagnosis is generally easy, its treatment is always surgical, but its pathogenesis remains hypothetical. A review of the literature concerning this pathology is presented.