Beyond the Bony Fragment: A Review of Limbus Vertebra

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 16; no. 5; p. e60065
• Main Authors: Nișcoveanu, Cosmin, Refi, Deria, Obada, Bogdan, Dragosloveanu, Serban, Scheau, Cristian, Baz, Radu Octavian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 10-05-2024; Cureus
• Subjects: Anatomy; Asymptomatic; Child development; Edema; Magnetic resonance imaging; Medical diagnosis; Muscle pain; Orthopedics; Patients; Radiology; Trauma; Vertebrae; X-rays; limbus vertebra; magnetic resonance imaging; bony fragment; ct (computed tomography) imaging; trauma & orthopedics; medical imaging diagnosis; spine
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.60065

Vertebral limbus is a condition characterized by the intraspongious herniation of a portion of the nucleus pulposus. It is often asymptomatic, but it can sometimes cause nonspecific symptoms such as local pain and muscle spasm, or, in rare cases, radiculopathies, which is why it can be confused with vertebral fractures, spondyloarthropathies, infectious or tumoral processes. Early recognition of this pathology is preferable for a correct diagnosis and adequate treatment, the latter ranging from conservative approaches (such as personalized exercise programs and physical therapy) to surgical interventions reserved for severe cases with nerve compression.