Unilateral ossification of the ligamentum flavum in the cervical spine with atypical radiological appearance

We report a case of symptomatic unilateral ossification of the ligamentum flavum with unusual radiological presentation in the cervical spine. The patient was a 64 year old man with numbness and weakness of the left upper extremity who was admitted to our hospital. Computerized tomography revealed a triangular-shaped high density mass severely compressing the spinal cord at C6. Concomitant small ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament was noted from C3 to C6. The ossified mass was completely removed via a unilateral osteoplastic laminectomy of the left C6 and C7. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.