What is "ankylosing spondylitis"

n. (context disease English) A particular arthritis disease that affects usually the joints between vertebrae and the sacroiliac joint.

n. a chronic form of spondylitis primarily in males and marked by impaired mobility of the spine; sometimes leads to ankylosis [syn: Marie-Strumpell disease, rheumatoid spondylitis]

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), also known as Bekhterev's disease, Bekhterev-Strümpell-Marie disease, Marie's disease, Marie–Strümpell arthritis, Pierre–Marie's disease, is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the axial skeleton, with variable involvement of peripheral joints and nonarticular structures. AS is one of the seronegative spondyloarthropathies and has a strong genetic predisposition. It mainly affects joints in the spine and the sacroiliac joint in the pelvis. In severe cases, complete fusion and rigidity of the spine can occur.

"Bamboo spine" develops when the outer fibers of the fibrous ring (anulus fibrosus disci intervertebralis) of the intervertebral discs ossify, which results in the formation of marginal syndesmophytes between adjoining vertebrae. The word is from Greek ankylos, crooked; spondylos, vertebra; -itis, inflammation.