Traumatic atlantoaxial dislocation with an odontoid fracture: A rare and potentially fatal injury

Khaled Zitouna; Hend Riahi; Nabil Lassoued; Mohamed Selmene; Maher Barsaoui; Ghassen Drissi

doi:10.4103/ajns.AJNS_214_19

Asian Journal of Neurosurgery, Table of Contents

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Asian J Neurosurg 2019; 14(04): 1249-1252
DOI: 10.4103/ajns.AJNS_214_19

Case Report

Traumatic atlantoaxial dislocation with an odontoid fracture: A rare and potentially fatal injury

Khaled Zitouna

¹Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, La Rabta Hospital

²Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculté De Médecine De Tunis, Tunis Medical School, Tunis

,

Hend Riahi

²Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculté De Médecine De Tunis, Tunis Medical School, Tunis

³Department of Radiology, Kassab Institute, Tunis

,

Nabil Lassoued

¹Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, La Rabta Hospital

²Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculté De Médecine De Tunis, Tunis Medical School, Tunis

,

Mohamed Selmene

¹Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, La Rabta Hospital

²Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculté De Médecine De Tunis, Tunis Medical School, Tunis

,

Maher Barsaoui

¹Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, La Rabta Hospital

²Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculté De Médecine De Tunis, Tunis Medical School, Tunis

,

Ghassen Drissi

¹Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, La Rabta Hospital

²Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculté De Médecine De Tunis, Tunis Medical School, Tunis

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Traumatic dislocation of the atlanto-axial joint in combination with an odontoid fracture remains a rare entity. Beaucause of its instability, it's alsoo a seriuous injury. A fatal outcome is feared especially in elderly. We report a case of 74-year-old man who presented with neck pain Confusion and spastic tetraparesia after a low energy trauma. Radiographs and computed tomography demonstrated a C1C2 dislocation with odontoid fracture. After an unsuccessful attempt at closed reduction with halo traction, a surgical stabilisation was performed using a posterior approach. Death was occured in early postoperative due to respiratory distress.

Key-words:

Atlantoaxial dislocation - elderly patients - neurological deficit - odontoid fracture - surgical management

Full Text

References

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