Document Detail


Combined occipital-cervical and atlantoaxial disassociation without neurologic injury: case report and review of the literature.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20308946     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
STUDY DESIGN: Case report and literature review. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the diagnosis, limitations, and treatment of combined occipital-cervical and atlantoaxial disassociation with normal neurologic function. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Injuries to the craniocervical junction can lead to devastating neurologic deficits. Occipital-cervical disassociation is a well-documented injury pattern that can lead to pain, spinal cord injury, and death. Early diagnosis and treatment can preserve neurologic function. Combined injuries to both the occipital-cervical and atlantoaxial segments are less common and, to date, have only been described with severe neurologic injury. METHODS: Retrospective review of a case. Literature review was performed through Medline and Pubmed searches. RESULTS: This is the first case to present a combined occipital-cervical and atlantoaxial disassociation with a neurologically intact patient. Initial physical examination was limited, but early imaging revealed evidence of instability. Early diagnosis and early (< 24) surgical stabilization was performed with no complications and neurologic preservation. One-year follow-up visit revealed normal neurologic examination with neck pain VAS = 2/10 and neck disability index = 6. CONCLUSION: Combined injuries to the occipital-cervical and atlantoaxial can result in upper cervical instability. Despite previous reports, neurologic preservation remains a possibility in this injury pattern. Limitations in physical examination and radiographic imaging persist, but early diagnosis and surgical stabilization may improve neurologic outcomes.
Authors:
Erica Bisson; Alison Schiffern; Michael D Daubs; Darrel S Brodke; Alpesh A Patel
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Spine     Volume:  35     ISSN:  1528-1159     ISO Abbreviation:  Spine     Publication Date:  2010 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-04-16     Completed Date:  2010-07-12     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7610646     Medline TA:  Spine (Phila Pa 1976)     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  E316-21     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosurgery, Lahey Clinic, Boston MA, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Accidents, Traffic
Adolescent
Atlanto-Axial Joint / injuries*,  pathology,  radiography
Atlanto-Occipital Joint / injuries,  pathology,  radiography
Axis / injuries,  pathology,  radiography
Cervical Atlas / injuries,  pathology,  radiography
Dislocations / diagnosis*,  nursing,  surgery*
Early Diagnosis
Emergency Treatment / methods,  standards
Female
Humans
Internal Fixators
Ligaments / injuries,  pathology,  radiography
Occipital Bone / injuries,  pathology,  radiography
Pelvis / injuries
Prosthesis Implantation / instrumentation,  methods
Radiology / methods,  standards
Retrospective Studies
Skull Fracture, Basilar / diagnosis,  nursing,  surgery
Spinal Cord Compression / etiology,  physiopathology,  prevention & control
Spinal Fractures / diagnosis*,  nursing,  surgery*
Spinal Fusion / instrumentation,  methods
Spleen / injuries
Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods,  standards
Treatment Outcome
Zygapophyseal Joint / injuries,  pathology

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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