[The elbow exposed to vibrating instruments and idiopathic diffuse skeletal hyperostosis: association or pure coincidence?]

Abstract

A group of 11 patients with chronic enthesopathy of the elbow caused by vibrating instruments was systematically examined for spinal signs of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). Nine patients revealed spinal involvement, the two exceptions probably relating to the patients' youth. The findings support the hypothesis that DISH is not a disease but rather a tendency to excessive ossification of ligamentous structures in response to stimuli that generally produce only modest new bone formation. Those suffering from such ossifying diathesis should be directed towards work unlikely to damage the enthesis.