Metastatic prostate cancer in ossification of the ligamentum flavum—a case report

Background contextNo previous reports have described a metastatic tumor located in the ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF).PurposeTo report an extremely rare case of metastatic tumor located in the OLF.Study designCase report.MethodsWe report a case of a 54-year-old man who sustained paraparesis attributable to spinal cord compression because of OLF in the thoracic spine.ResultsThe OLF at T3/T4 and T5/T6, together with the laminae of T3–T6, was resected. Histologically, the removed section mainly consisted of mature bone with some elastic fiber and fibrocartilage. Tumor cells with a tubular construction, compatible with metastatic adenocarcinoma, were also observed in the OLF. These findings are consistent with metastatic prostate cancer in the OLF. Eleven months after surgery, the patient showed improvement in gait disturbance and bladder-bowel disturbance that existed before surgery.ConclusionThis is the first case of metastatic tumor located in the OLF.