Chronic obstructive pneumonia caused by a vertebral body osteophyte

Osteophytes associated with spondylosis have been implicated as a cause of multiple extraspinal manifestations. Symptoms are more likely to occur with the large osteophytes associated with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperost osis. In the thoracic region, osteophytes have been reported infrequently a s a cause of extraspinal complications. We report a case in which an anteri or thoracic vertebral osteophyte was responsible for chronic obstructive pn eumonia due to obstruction of the right main stem bronchus. The patient's c ondition improved considerably after surgical resection of the compressing thoracic osteophyte.