Available online 8 November 2022

Heterotopic ossification of large joints, such as knees and hips, has been reported after spinal cord injury, possibly leading to decreased activity of daily living due to a limited range of motion of the affected joint. Therefore, heterotopic ossification resection is performed to improve the range of motion, but it might cause massive bleeding as a complication.

In this case, the patient had a history of spinal cord injury and developed heterotopic ossification after the left hip injury. He had left hip ankylosis and could not transfer to a wheelchair by himself; therefore, heterotopic ossification resection was planned. On conducting contrast-enhanced computed tomography, the supplying arteries extending to the heterotopic ossification could be identified. A day before the surgery, embolization of the branches by interventional radiology was performed.

Heterotopic ossification resection was performed with an 820-ml blood loss. Postoperative rehabilitation was continued, and range of motion continued to improve without heterotopic ossification recurrence 2 years post-surgery.

The combination of preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography and embolization was useful in treating heterotopic ossification.

Heterotopic ossification

Spinal cord injury

Embolization

© 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Japanese Orthopaedic Association.