TY - JOUR
TI - Differentiating between traumatic pathology and congenital variant: A case report of butterfly vertebra
AU - Karargyris, O.
AU - Lampropoulou-Adamidou, K.
AU - Morassi, L.-G.
AU - Stathopoulos, I.P.
AU - Chatziioannou, S.N.
AU - Pneumaticos, S.G.
JO - CiOS Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery
PY - 2015
VL - 7
TODO - 3
SP - 406-409
PB - Korean Orthopaedic Association
SN - null
TODO - 10.4055/cios.2015.7.3.406
TODO - analgesic agent, adult;  Article;  butterfly vertebra;  case report;  computer assisted tomography;  diagnostic imaging;  falling;  female;  human;  image analysis;  intervertebral disk hernia;  low back pain;  neurologic disease;  physiotherapy;  sciatica;  spine radiography;  vertebra malformation;  abnormalities;  low back pain;  lumbar vertebra;  pathology;  x-ray computed tomography, Accidental Falls;  Adult;  Female;  Humans;  Low Back Pain;  Lumbar Vertebrae;  Tomography, X-Ray Computed
TODO - Butterfly vertebra is a rare congenital malformation of the spine, which is usually reported in the literature as an isolated finding. We describe a 40-year-old woman that presented to our emergency department with back pain and sciatica. Initial radiological evaluation revealed an incidental finding of a L4 butterfly vertebra in the anteroposterior and lateral view radiographs. The patient presented with no neurological deficit. This rare congenital anomaly is usually asymptomatic, and awareness of its non-traumatic nature is critical in order to establish a correct diagnosis. Further evaluation of the patient is necessary to exclude pathologic fracture, infection, or associated vertebral anomalies and syndromes, such as Alagille, Jarcho-Levin, Crouzon, and Pfeiffer syndromes. Furthermore, in the emergency setting, awareness of this entity is needed so that a correct diagnosis can be established. © 2015 by The Korean Orthopaedic Association.
ER -