Seizure-induced thoracic spine compression fracture: case report

BACKGROUND: Vertebral fracture caused solely by a convulsive seizure has rarely been reported in the neurosurgical literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe a 34-year-old male with severe back pain from a thoracic fracture occurring in association with a seizure during hospitalization for treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy. Bone mineral densities in the lumbar spine and the femoral neck were decreased, possibly by long-term anti-epileptic medication. Muscle contractions during a seizure can result in vertebral fractures, especially at the thoracic levels. CONCLUSION: A complaint of back pain after a convulsive seizure should prompt radiologic investigation for vertebral fracture, even in the absence of external trauma.