December 11, 2024
2 read me
Luigi Mangion said he had spondylolisthesis: what is it?
The suspect in the recent shooting of a UnitedHealthcare CEO had spondylolisthesis, a condition that causes the vertebrae to misalign.
Plate and screw fixation radiograph of a human spine with lumbar spondylolisthesis beyond L4 and L5. Luigi Mangion posted a similar image on X, showing a four-bolt spine.
Luigi Mangione, the suspect charged with murder During the firing of UnitedHealthcare (UHC) CEO Brian Thompson, he suffered severe back pain allegedly caused by a condition called spondylolisthesis. Mangion told his friends The pain interfered with his ability to perform physical activities and his relationship life, according to The New York Times. He also told people that he needed surgery, and a photo at his expense in Xn (formerly Twitter) showed an apparent x-ray of a spine pierced by long rods and screws, a sign of surgery sometimes used to stabilize vertebrae if pain is not controlled by medication and physical therapy.
In spondylolisthesisthe vertebrae in the spine move out of alignment and press on other vertebrae and nerves, which can sometimes cause pain. It is most common in the lumbar (lower) spine, but can also occur in the thoracic (upper) or cervical (neck) regions. There are several types of conditions. Degenerative spondylolisthesis is the most common; it occurs as the body ages and the soft tissue discs that separate the vertebrae break down. In congenital spondylolisthesis, the spine is not formed correctly and can cause problems at birth or later in life. In isthmic spondylolisthesis, the bone that connects two vertebrae is blocked, and these segments are displaced out of place. The condition can also be caused by physical trauma such as a sports injuryan illness or even back surgery. It is unclear what form of spondylolisthesis Mangion might have had.
In addition to back pain, symptoms of spondylolisthesis may include leg pain, back stiffness, difficulty walking or standing, or numbness, weakness, and tingling. Milder cases may be treated with rest, pain relievers, steroid injections, physical therapy, or a back brace. More severe cases may require surgery to stabilize the spine.
About supporting science journalism
If you like this article, please consider supporting our award-winning journalism subscribe. By purchasing a subscription, you’re helping to ensure a future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas that shape our world.
It was supposed to be Mangione not taking medication for back pain But she posted on spondylolisthesis-related Reddit threads and talked on Goodreads about reading books about back pain, According to CNN. He told a friend in Honolulu, where he had lived the year before the shooting, that he needed back surgery. In the summer of 2023, his friend texted him to ask how the surgery went, and Mangion sent him X-rays of his spine. The friend told CNN that the footage “looked horrible” and that she lost contact with Mangione after that.
It is unclear whether Mangione’s back condition or surgery was related to the shooting death of the UHC director on a Manhattan street the previous week. When police arrested Mangione, he was as reported Carrying a hand-written manifesto that referred to UHC and denounced health insurance companies for “(abusing) our country for massive profit”.
