n. a bony outgrowth within a ligament, usually within the ligaments of the intervertebral joints, seen in the sero-negative spondyloarthropathies; for example, ankylosing *spondylitis, *reactive arthritis, and *psoriatic arthritis. Fusion of syndesmophytes across the joints between vertebrae contributes to rigidity of the spine, seen in advanced cases of these diseases.
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