scholarly journals Vertebral Artery Caught in the Fracture Gap after Traumatic C2/3 Spondylolisthesis

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Ralf Henkelmann ◽  
Christoph Josten ◽  
Stefan Glasmacher ◽  
Christoph-Eckhard Heyde ◽  
Ulrich Josef Albert Spiegl

Background Context. Patient with a C2 fracture and entrapment of the right vertebral artery in the fracture gap. Purpose. Presentation of a case with follow-up until end of treatment. Study Design. Case report. Methods. A 25-year-old woman was brought into our emergency room after falling while riding a horse. She complained of pain in the cervical spine. Clinical examinations showed local tenderness at the upper cervical spine and painful impairment of the mobility of the neck, with no signs of neurological impairment. Radiological diagnostics revealed a traumatic C2/3 spondylolisthesis. A computer tomography (CT) angiographic scan showed a dislocation of the right vertebral artery into the fracture gap without injury to the artery. Open reduction and osteosynthesis were considered of too high risk. Therefore, we conducted fracture treatment with closed reduction and halo fixation. After removal of the halo fixator, the patient was given a soft cervical collar and was advised to rest for additional 6 weeks before beginning gradual activity. Results. Conventional follow-up revealed osseous consolidation and a CT angiographic scan showed consistent blood flow to the artery. Conclusion. Halo fixation was a safe and effective therapy strategy in the case of vertebral artery entrapment after traumatic C2 spondylolisthesis.

2021 ◽  
pp. 219256822110391
Author(s):  
Yakubu Ibrahim ◽  
Hao Li ◽  
Geng Zhao ◽  
Suomao Yuan ◽  
Yiwei Zhao ◽  
...  

Study Design: Retrospective. Objectives: To present rarely reported complex fractures of the upper cervical spine (C1-C2) and discuss the clinical results of the posterior temporary C1-2 pedicle screws fixation for C1-C2 stabilization. Methods: A total of 19 patients were included in the study (18 males and 1 female). Their age ranged from 23 to 66 years (mean age of 39.6 years). The patients were diagnosed with complex fractures of the atlas and the axis of the upper cervical spine and underwent posterior temporary C1-2 pedicle screws fixation. The patients underwent a serial postoperative clinical examination at approximately 3, 6, 9 months, and annually thereafter. The neck disability index (NDI) and the range of neck rotary motion were used to evaluate the postoperative clinical efficacy of the patients. Results: The average operation time and blood loss were 110 ± 25 min and 50 ± 12 ml, respectively. The mean follow-up was 38 ± 11 months (range 22 to 60 months). The neck rotary motion before removal, immediately after removal, and the last follow-up were 68.7 ± 7.1°, 115.1 ± 11.7°, and 149.3 ± 8.9° ( P < 0.01). The NDI scores before and after the operation were 42.7 ± 4.3, 11.1 ± 4.0 ( P < 0.01), and the NDI score 2 days after the internal fixation was removed was 7.3 ± 2.9, which was better than immediately after the operation ( P < 0.01), and 2 years after the internal fixation was removed. The NDI score was 2.0 ± 0.8, which was significantly better than 2 days after the internal fixation was taken out ( P < 0.001). Conclusions: Posterior temporary screw fixation is a good alternative surgical treatment for unstable C1-C2 complex fractures.


2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 196-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo D. Vilela ◽  
Eric C. Peterson

Even though fractures in children with immature spines occur predominantly in the upper cervical spine, isolated C-1 fractures are relatively rare. The fractures in almost all cases reported to date were considered stable due to the presence of the intact transverse ligament. The authors report the case of a young child who sustained a Jefferson fracture and in whom MR imaging revealed disruption of the transverse ligament. Although surgical treatment has been suggested as the treatment of choice for children with unstable atlantoaxial injuries, external immobilization alone allowed a full recovery in the patient with no evidence of instability at follow-up.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haisong Yang ◽  
Yuling Sun ◽  
Liang Wang ◽  
Chunyan Gao ◽  
Fengbin Yu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background It is a challenge to reduce and immobilize the broken “bamboo spine”, especially for the upper cervical spine, in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) before and during posterior surgery. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the case histories, operations, neurologic outcomes, follow-up data, and imaging records of 17 patients with AS and upper cervical spine fracture-dislocation who underwent surgical treatment in three clinical spine center from 2010 to 2019. A halo vest was used to reduce and immobilize fractured spinal column ends. The neurological injury was evaluated using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale score and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score before and after operation. Complications and time of bone fusion were recorded. Results Fourteen patients achieved closed anatomical reduction after halo vest application. No displacement in fracture ends and loss of reduction occurred after prone position. No patient presented with secondary neurological deterioration. All patients was performed posterior surgery. The surgery improved the ASIA grade in all patients (P < 0.001). The mean JOA score also increased significantly at last follow-up compared to preoperation (14.5 ± 2.3 vs. 9.2 ± 2.4, P < 0.01). No severe complication and death occurred. All patients reached solid bony fusion at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions Use of a halo vest before and during the operation is safe and effective in patients with AS who develop upper cervical spine fracture-dislocation. This technique makes positioning, awake nasoendotracheal intubation, nursing, and the operation more convenient. It can also provide satisfactory reduction and rigid immobilization and prevent secondary neurologic deterioration. .


2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Francisca Elgueta ◽  
Johanna Ortiz Jimenez ◽  
Nina Nan Wang ◽  
Almudena Pérez Lara ◽  
Jeffrey Chankowsky ◽  
...  

2000 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 975-977
Author(s):  
Atsushi Inoue ◽  
Hiroaki Konishi ◽  
Shinichiro Hara ◽  
Ryoichi Takasuga ◽  
Hironori Hara ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 79 (01) ◽  
pp. 066-072
Author(s):  
Philipp Dammann ◽  
Tobias Schoemberg ◽  
Yahya Ahmadipour ◽  
Michael Payer ◽  
Ulrich Sure ◽  
...  

Background and Objective We present a treatment approach for a rare condition of patients with a ventral C1 fracture and a congenital cleft in the posterior arch (half-ring Jefferson fracture) with an intact transverse atlantal ligament. Our technique aims to achieve stability of the atlanto-occipital and atlantoaxial joints while preserving mobility of the upper cervical spine. Patients and Methods Two male patients, 43 years and 29 years of age, respectively, were admitted to our hospital due to a fracture of the ventral arch of the atlas with no damage of the transverse atlantal ligament. Both men also presented a congenital cleft of the posterior arch. Initial conservative management with a halo-thoracic vest was performed in one case and failed. As a result, surgical treatment was performed in both cases using bilateral C1 mass screws and a transverse connector. Results The patients showed no neurologic deficits on follow-up examination 4 weeks after surgery with a full range of head and neck motion. Computed tomography (CT) showed no dislocation of the implanted material with good dorsal alignment and a stable ventral fracture distance. Follow-up CT showed osseous stability in both cases with the beginning of bony ossification of the bone graft. Conclusion Isolated instable fractures of the ventral arch of the atlas with a congenital cleft of the posterior arch with no damage of the transverse atlantal ligament can be stabilized using bilateral C1 mass screws and a transverse connector preserving upper cervical spine mobility.


Author(s):  
Katharina E. Wenning ◽  
Martin F. Hoffmann

Abstract Background The C0 to C2 region is the keystone for range of motion in the upper cervical spine. Posterior procedures usually include a fusion of at least one segment. Atlantoaxial fusion (AAF) only inhibits any motion in the C1/C2 segment whereas occipitocervical fusion (OCF) additionally interferes with the C0/C1 segment. The purpose of our study was to investigate clinical outcome of patients that underwent OCF or AAF for upper cervical spine injuries. Methods Over a 5-year period (2010–2015), consecutive patients with upper cervical spine disorders were retrospectively identified as having been treated with OCF or AAF. The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) were used to evaluate postoperative neck pain and health restrictions. Demographics, follow-up, and clinical outcome parameters were evaluated. Infection, hematoma, screw malpositioning, and deaths were used as complication variables. Follow-up was at least 6 months postoperatively. Results Ninety-six patients (male = 42, female = 54) underwent stabilization of the upper cervical spine. OCF was performed in 44 patients (45.8%), and 52 patients (54.2%) were treated with AAF. Patients with OCF were diagnosed with more comorbidities (p = 0.01). Follow-up was shorter in the OCF group compared to the AAF group (6.3 months and 14.3 months; p = 0.01). No differences were found related to infection (OCF 4.5%; AAF 7.7%) and revision rate (OCF 13.6%; AAF 17.3%; p > 0.05). Regarding bother and disability, no differences were discovered utilizing the NDI score (AAF 21.4%; OCF 37.4%; p > 0.05). A reduction of disability measured by the NDI was observed with greater follow-up for all patients (p = 0.01). Conclusion Theoretically, AAF provides greater range of motion by preserving the C0/C1 motion segment resulting in less disability. The current study did not show any significant differences regarding clinical outcome measured by the NDI compared to OCF. No differences were found regarding complication and infection rates in both groups. Both techniques provide a stable treatment with comparable clinical outcome.


2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer G. Savage ◽  
Daniel H. Fulkerson ◽  
Anish N. Sen ◽  
Jonathan G. Thomas ◽  
Andrew Jea

Object There are rare indications for upper cervical spine fusion in young children. Compared with nonrigid constructs, rigid instrumentation with screw fixation increases the fusion rate and reduces the need for halo fixation. Instrumentation may be technically challenging in younger children. A number of screw placement techniques have been described. Use of C-2 translaminar screws has been shown to be anatomically feasible, even in the youngest of children. However, there are few data detailing the clinical outcome. In this study, the authors describe the clinical and radiographic follow-up of 18 children 5 years of age or younger who had at least one C-2 translaminar screw as part of an occipitocervical or C1–2 fusion construct. Methods A retrospective review of all children treated with instrumented occipitocervical or C1–2 fusion between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2013, at Riley Children's Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital was performed. All children 5 years of age or younger with incorporation of at least one C-2 translaminar screw were identified. Results Eighteen children were studied (7 boys and 11 girls). The mean age at surgery was 38.1 months (range 10–68 months). Indications for surgery included traumatic instability (6), os odontoideum (3), destructive processes (2), and congenital instability (7). A total of 24 C-2 translaminar screws were placed; 23 (95.8%) of 24 were satisfactorily placed (completely contained within the cortical walls). There was one medial cortex breach without neurological impingement. There were no complications with screw placement. Three patients required wound revisions. Two patients died as a result of their original condition (trauma, malignant tumor). The mean follow-up duration for the surviving patients was 17.5 months (range 3–60 months). Eleven (91.7%) of the 12 patients followed for 6 months or longer showed radiographic stability or completed fusion. Conclusions Use of C-2 translaminar screws provides an effective anchor for internal fixation of the upper cervical spine. In this study of children 5 years of age or younger, the authors found a high rate of radiographic fusion with a low rate of complications.


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