Re: Re: fused vertebrae

[Guest guest]

From the explanation given me - this occurs when your disease has destroyed

or damaged your joints to a point that your bones grow together because your

own body is trying to mend the inflamation of those joints that connect the

bones together. My problems are in the Sondy's family so I've got to keep

moving the lower spine, pelvic & hip joints as much as I can to prevent fusion.

Hopefully these new drugs I'm on will prolong or stop the fusion. Is your

problem in the lower spine and pelvic area? Let me know and good luck. Marty

[Guest guest]

, Here is a good explanation of the fusion which occurs in AS. I know

this snip-it is a little medical, but it is good for us to learn these medical

terms. (I was curious myself, so thought I'd share).

The basic pathologic lesion of ankylosing spondylitis occurs at the

entheses, which are sites of attachment to bone of ligaments, tendons, and joint

capsules. Enthesopathy results from inflammation, with subsequent calcification

and ossification at and around the entheses. Inflammation with cellular

infiltration by lymphocytes, plasma cells, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes is

associated with erosion and eburnation of the subligamentous bone. The process

usually starts at the sacroiliac joints. Other enthesopathic sites include the

iliac crest, ischial tuberosity, greater trochanter, patella, and calcaneum.

In the paravertebral soft tissues, the lesion manifests as a formation of new

bone within the outer layers of the annulus fibrosis of the intervertebral

disk. The margins of the disk are invaded by hyperemic granulation tissue

arising from the subchondral bone. This tissue replaces the disk fibers with

new

bone.

In the synovial joints, a proliferative chronic synovitis is seen that is

indistinguishable from rheumatoid arthritis; however, subchondral bone and

cartilage are invaded by reactive tissue originating from the bone, which is a

feature not encountered in rheumatoid arthritis. Capsular fibrosis and bony

ankylosis tend to occur. Formation of bony bridges between adjacent vertebrae

(syndesmophytes) and progressive ossification of extraspinal joint capsules and

ligaments are characteristic of the disease. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis,

pannus formation is not known to occur.

Definition of words:

:En-the-sop-a-thy: a disease occuring at the site of attachment of muscle

tendons and ligaments to bones or joint capsules.

Ankylosing: fusing of joints

Spondylitis: inflammation of ligaments, tendons, joints.

Eburnation: degeneration of bone...into ivory like mass....can happen in

osteoarthritis, too.

Synovial joints: joints that move.

ischial tuberosity: pain in " butt "

trochanter: thigh (I didn't know this could be part of our disease. Any

member with this problem?)

patella: knee cap

calcaneum: ankle

paravertebral: soft tissues of spine

subligamentous: space between bones of spine. (disk)

Pannus: thickened layers of granulation tissue

[Guest guest]

Marty, great, simple explanation.

[Guest guest]

, In short the are joints stacked on top of each other and and your spinal

cord runs through the middle. They allow your back and neck to twist and

turn.............here is a web page to get a look at them......... The series of

articulated vertebrae, separated by intervertebral disks and held together by

muscles and tendons, that extends from the cranium to the coccyx or the end of

the tail, encasing the spinal cord and forming the supporting axis of the body;

the spine. Also called vertebral column. .

http://www.answers.com/topic/vertebral-column

Clost <jr_clost@...> wrote:

can someone explain to me exactly what they are? or any fused joints for that

matter? how does it occur and what is the end result?

james

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[Guest guest]

I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave and everyone would be

OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

I'M ONLY ABLE TOO SLEEP 3 TO 5 HRS @ A TIME IF I'M LUCKY!! HOPE YOU HAVE

BETTER LUCK THAN I DO!

MARTY

[Guest guest]

hi marty. my problems began in 1990 after playing a round of squash. i had SI

problems for about 7-8 months as i remember after that. then they disappeared.

a few years later joint inflammation in the right ankle showed up and its been

that way ever since. on occasion, i do have lower back problems, most recently

this past week. i often attributed that to the fact that i travel a lot and am

often sleeping in different beds from one night to the next, or on buses or

trains. or i sometimes feel back pain if i sleep too long, usually over 8

hours, as a result i dont stay in bed much more than 5-6 hours, i'm a nightowl

anyway so i like to stay awake, altho i recognize the need for more rest

sometimes.

this past week i have had lower back problems (been all over southeast asia

in the past few weeks), and i hope its not the return of SI problems as i

experienced in the past.

i just saw a rheumatologist in bangkok a couple of weeks ago and he took x

rays of my pelvis. so if i go back in one year or some other time in the

future, perhaps the xrays can be done again to see if anything has changed. i'm

assuming xrays will reveal any degeneration in the joints.

best wishes ~ james

MCGEEtown@... wrote: Is your

problem in the lower spine and pelvic area? Let me know and good luck. Marty

[Guest guest]

Me too Marty, me too............thanks and God bless you.

MCGEEtown@... wrote: I wish I had a magic wand that I could wave and

everyone would be

OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Yeah one of my diagnoses was trochanteric bursitis. Got some cortisone shots

in the hip bursa for that.

GA

----- Original Message -----

From: <Grannyof9@...>

>

> trochanter: thigh (I didn't know this could be part of our disease. Any

> member with this problem?)