Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Craniovertebral Junction

Neurosurgery ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 66 (suppl_3) ◽  
pp. A83-A95 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Krauss ◽  
Jonathan M. Bledsoe ◽  
Michelle J. Clarke ◽  
Eric W. Nottmeier ◽  
Mark A. Pichelmann

Abstract BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory disease involving the spine. It has a predilection for involving the craniocervical spine. Despite widespread involvement of the cervical spine with RA, few patients need surgery. The 3 major spinal manifestations of RA in the cervical spine are basilar invagination, atlantoaxial instability, and subaxial subluxations. Surgical management of RA involving the craniovertebral junction remains a challenge despite a decline in severe cases and an improvement in surgical techniques. METHODS We conducted an exhaustive review of English-language publications discussing RA involving the craniovertebral junction. We paid special attention to publications detailing modern surgical management of these conditions. In addition, we outline our own surgical experience with such patients. RESULTS We discuss alternative surgical methods for treating basilar invagination, atlantoaxial instability, and concurrent subaxial subluxations. We detail our surgical technique for transoral odontoidectomy, occipital cervical fusion, and atlantoaxial fusion. We detail the use of spinal surgical navigation in both of these procedures. CONCLUSION Surgical management of RA remains a challenging field. There clearly has been a decrease in cases of mutilating RA involving the craniovertebral junction. Surgical techniques for managing these conditions have steadily improved.

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
John L. Gillick ◽  
John Wainwright ◽  
Kaushik Das

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease affecting a significant percentage of the population. The cervical spine is often affected in this disease and can present in the form of atlantoaxial instability (AAI), cranial settling (CS), or subaxial subluxation (SAS). Patients may present with symptoms and disability secondary to these entities but may also be neurologically intact. Cervical spine involvement in RA can pose a challenge to the clinician and the appropriate role of surgical intervention is controversial. The aim of this paper is to describe the pathology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic evaluation of rheumatoid arthritis in the cervical spine in order to provide a better understanding of the indications and options for surgery. Both the medical and surgical treatment options for RA have improved, so has the prognosis of the cervical spine disease. With the advent of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), fewer patients are presenting with cervical spine manifestations of RA; however, those that do, now have improved surgical techniques available to them. We hope that, by reading this paper, the clinician is able to better evaluate patients with RA in the cervical spine and determine in which patients surgery is indicated.


Author(s):  
Rodrigo Salmeron de Toledo Aguiar ◽  
Guilherme Brasileiro de Aguiar ◽  
Rafael Gomes dos Santos ◽  
André Freitas Nunes ◽  
Renan Maximilian Lovato ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Introduction: Blister aneurysms are of uncertain pathogenesis and are a vascular lesion located in the brain. Overall, they represent 0.3% - 1.0% of all intracranial aneurysms and 0.9% - 6.5% of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. They are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Even with the first description being from 1969, there is still debate in the literature about which type of treatment is the best: surgical or endovascular. In this review, we focus on the surgical management. Method: The authors performed a review of available surgical techniques used for blood blister-like aneurysms treatment. Pubmed database was used as search source introducing blister-like aneurysm and blister aneurysms as keywords. The most relevant articles and those that focused on surgical treatment techniques were selected. Discussion: The most used surgical methods are clipping, trapping, wrapping and bypass. As main features of each technique, we can highlight clipping with good efficiency, when there is good neck exposure; trapping being employed in ruptured aneurysm; wrapping for avulsion and bypass that promotes vascularization to the distal territory of the aneurysm. Conclusion: The endovascular method has shown to be promising and efficient. However, different surgical techniques are still being employed based on their efficiency when facing certain surgical scenarios.Keywords: Neurosurgery, Subarachnoid hemorrhage, Intracranial aneurysm, Endovascular proceduresRESUMOIntrodução: Aneurismas cerebrais blister-like são lesões vasculares de patogenia incerta. De modo geral, representam 0.3%-1.0% de todos aneurismas intracranianos e 0.9% - 6.5% dos aneurismas intracranianos que rompem. Estão associados a alta morbimortalidade. Mesmo com a primeira descrição sendo de 1969, ainda há debate na literatura sobre qual tipo de tratamento é o melhor: cirúrgico ou endovascular. Nessa revisão, focamos no tratamento cirúrgico. Métodos: Os autores realizaram uma revisão das técnicas cirúrgicas utilizadas para tratamento de aneurismas blister-like. A plataforma Pubmed foi utilizada para a pesquisa das palavras chaves “blister-like aneurysm” e “blister aneurysm”. Os artigos de maior relevância e aqueles que enfatizam as técnicas cirúrgicas foram selecionados. Discussão: Os métodos cirúrgicos empregados são clipagem, trapping, wrapping e bypass. Quanto às características de cada método, podemos salientar a eficácia da clipagem, quanto melhor for a exposição do aneurisma; o uso do trapping em situações de rompimento do aneurisma; wrapping para casos em que houve avulsão do aneurisma e by-pass que promove a vascularização distal ao aneurisma. Conclusão: O método endovascular tem se mostrado promissor e efetivo. No entanto, as diferentes técnicas cirúrgicas ainda são empregadas e defendidas devido a sua eficiência frente certos cenários cirúrgicos.Descritores: Neurocirurgia, Hemorragia subaracnóidea, Aneurisma intracraniano, Procedimentos endovasculares


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Mukerji ◽  
N. V. Todd

Involvement of the cervical spine is common in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical presentation can be variable, and symptoms may be due to neck pain or compressive myeloradiculopathy. We discuss the pathology, grading systems, clinical presentation, indications for surgery and surgical management of cervical myelopathy related to rheumatoid arthritis in this paper. We describe our surgical technique and results. We recommend early consultation for surgical management when involvement of the cervical spine is suspected in rheumatoid arthritis. Even patients with advanced cervical myelopathy should be discussed for surgical treatment, since in our experience improvement in function after surgery is common.


Orthopedics ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 518-519
Author(s):  
Charles A Reitman ◽  
Michael H Heggeness

Orthopedics ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 563-570
Author(s):  
Duret S Smith ◽  
Hansen A Yuan

Neurosurgery ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atul Goel ◽  
Trimurti Nadkarni ◽  
Abhidha Shah ◽  
Raghvendra Ramdasi ◽  
Neeraj Patni

Abstract BACKGROUND: On reviewing the database of patients with craniovertebral junction anomalies, the authors identified 70 patients with a bifid posterior arch of atlas. OBJECTIVE: To speculate on the pathogenesis of spondyloschisis of both the anterior and posterior arches of atlas, particularly as it relates to atlantoaxial instability. METHODS: Seventy patients with bifid anterior and posterior arches were identified by a retrospective review of the database from 2007 to 2013. RESULTS: The ages of the patients ranged from 14 months to 50 years. The patients were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 (3 patients) had multiple additional spinal bony and neural abnormalities. Group 2 (34 patients) had mobile and partially (5) or completely (29) reducible atlantoaxial dislocation. Group 3 (33 patients) had atlantoaxial instability and related basilar invagination. The os odontoideum was identified in 21 patients, and C2-3 fusion was seen in 24 patients. Two of 3 patients in group 1 were treated conservatively and without any surgery. All patients in groups 2 and 3 were surgically treated. Surgery was done using lateral mass plate/rod and screw fixation techniques. The general observation during surgery included identification of discrete movements of both halves of the atlas, lateral positioning of the facets of atlas in relation to the facets of the axis and occipital condyle and closer approximation of the occipital bone, atlas, and axis resulting in “crumpling” of bone and neural elements. CONCLUSION: Understanding of the pathogenesis and mechanical alterations in cases with a bifid arch of atlas can assist in evaluating the clinical implications and in conduct of surgery.


2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 689-700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis H. Shen ◽  
Dino Samartzis ◽  
Louis G. Jenis ◽  
Howard S. An

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