Non-Traumatic Intracranial Heterotopic Ossification: A Case from Turkey

Abstract

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is the abnormal, non-neoplastic presence of lamellar bone in soft tissue. The ectopic formation of lamellar bone in non-osseus tissues secondary to traumatic injuries of the spinal cord or the brain is defined as Neurogenic HO. The pathophysiology of HO is not clear. But several theories like overactive humoral mechanisms after fracture healing, imbalance of pro-osteoinductive and anti-osteoinductive mediators located on the soft tissues and gene mutations in such as bone morphogenetic proteins-4 (BMP-4) are proposed. Casualty factors leading to increased risk of HO include older age, blast mechanism of injury, location of injury and traumatic brain injury. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate a case of HO located in the brain without history of trauma or any other risk factors.