National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine

Not a rare disease Not a rare disease
Other Names:
OPLL
Categories:
Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (OPLL) is a condition that is characterized by the calcification of the soft tissues that connect the bones of the spine, which may lead to compression of the spinal cord. Many affected people do not have any signs or symptoms, while others may experience mild pain or numbness in the arms and/or legs. In some cases, OPLL may be associated with other conditions such as genetic diseases (i.e. hypophosphatemic rickets), endocrine disorders (i.e. acromegaly, hypoparathyroidism), spondyloarthropathies (i.e. ankylosing spondylitis), and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. OPLL is most commonly diagnosed in men, people of Asian descent and people over age 50. The exact underlying cause is currently unknown; however, scientists suspect that it is a multifactorial condition that is influenced by several different genetic and environmental factors. The treatment of OPLL depends the severity of the condition and the signs and symptoms present in each person. If more conservative treatments such as NSAIDs are not effective, surgery may be necessary.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 5/4/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Abnormality of the vertebral column
Abnormal spine
Abnormal vertebral column
Abnormality of the spine
[ more ] 		0000925
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Diabetes mellitus 0000819
Ectopic ossification 0011986
Hyperreflexia
Increased reflexes
0001347
Increased bone mineral density
Increased bone density
0011001
Myelopathy 0002196
Spinal cord compression
Pressure on spinal cord
0002176
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Emory Healthcare offers an information page on Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine for patients and caregivers. Please click on the link to access this resource.

In-Depth Information

  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Andrew Eisen, MD, FRCPC. Disorders affecting the spinal cord. UpToDate. October 2014; Accessed 5/4/2015.
  2. Simon M Helfgott, MD. Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). UpToDate. December 2013; Accessed 5/4/2015.
  3. Ikegawa S. Genetics of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine: a mini review. J Bone Metab. May 2014; 21(2):127-132.