Severe headache complicated by vertical atlantoaxial subluxation in diffuse systemic sclerosis with crowned dens pattern calcification

Systemic sclerosis-associated compressive cervical calcinosis: intersection of degenerative spine instability, lesional spinal cord compression, and traumatic spinal cord injury. Illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Tumoral calcinosis, mass-like calcium deposition into the soft tissues, is an uncommon manifestation of the systemic sclerosis subtype of scleroderma. When this process affects the spinal epidural space, it can cause canal narrowing and place the spinal cord at significant risk of injury.

OBSERVATIONS

Here a 62-year-old female with systemic sclerosis and no previous evidence of spinal cord compromise who developed acute spinal cord injury and quadriparesis after a mechanical fall is described. She was found to have a large dorsal epidural calcified mass compressing her cervical spinal cord. She underwent medical management for acute spinal cord compression as well as surgical management for acute spinal cord injury and degenerative spine disease. Her case illustrates a rare etiology of simultaneous degenerative spine instability and lesional spinal cord compression with acute spinal cord injury.

LESSONS

Tumor calcinosis leading to acute spinal cord injury in the setting of systemic sclerosis is an uncommon but critical entity to recognize in patients with scleroderma and may require the physician to use a combination of medical and surgical management strategies from each of these categories of spine pathology.

Central cord syndrome in a patient with systemic sclerosis and cervical calcinosis: case report and review of literature

Systemic sclerosis, or scleroderma, rarely involves the cervical spine. The disorder can induce dystrophic calcinosis that can cause spinal canal stenosis and spinal instability. An association between this pathology with acute traumatic central cord syndrome and dural erosion is rare. This case report highlights such an association and postulates the underlying mechanisms. A 57-year-old female, with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), schizophrenia and systemic sclerosis, presented with weakness in all extremities after a minor fall. Imaging demonstrated a calcified soft-tissue mass at C4/5 causing severe cord compression, cord edema spanning C3-C6, calcified soft-tissue masses at right C2/C3 facet joint and bilateral C4/5 facet joints, and significant subluxation at C4/5. Patient underwent C4-C7 laminectomies, and C3-T1 fixation and fusion. The calcinosis appeared to erode through the dura, which necessitated dura repair once the calcionsis was carefully debulked. The patient recovered well, and improved clinically with rehabilitation. Dystrophic calcinosis from underlying systemic sclerosis can cause significant chronic cervical stenosis, which may reduce the threshold for acute traumatic cervical cord syndrome under minor trauma. Moreover, dystrophic calcinosis may exhibit a propensity for dural erosion, possibly through chronic adhesions secondary to chronic inflammation. Aggressive removal of the calcinosis may breach the dura. Consequently, subtotal debulking may be reasonable if the spinal canal is adequately decompressed after laminectomies.