Complete Separation of the Vertebral Body Associated with a Schmorl's Node Accompanying Severe Osteoporosis

Abstract

A Schmorl's node is defined as a simple endplate intravertebral herniation resulting from trauma or idiopathic causes. Although Schmorl's nodes have been considered clinically insignificant, they might indicate an active symptomatic process or cause serious complications. In this study, we report an interesting case of complete separation of a vertebral body caused by an untreated Schmorl's node accompanying severe osteoporosis. To our knowledge, this is the first clinical report in the published literature to evaluate the complete separation of a vertebral body associated with a Schmorl's node.