Abstract
Een steenarend (Aquila chrysaetos) werd onderzocht voor evenwichtsproblemen die ontstaan waren na trauma door een harde landing tijdens de fi tnesstraining. Met magnetische resonantie en computertomografi e werd een chronische atlanto-occipitale subluxatie aangetoond met een craniodorsale verplaatsing van de atlas (atlanto-occipitale overlapping) en secundair een dynamische compressie van de hersenstam en het ruggenmerg. Bovendien werd een malunion van een oudere fractuur gezien met fusie van C1 en C2. De vogel werd geëuthanaseerd omwille van de klinische achteruitgang en een slechte prognose.
Highlights
Traumatic dislocation of the atlanto-occipital joint is often fatal in humans and small animals
The eagle was referred to The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (University of Edinburgh) for advanced imaging examination with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and further work-up
As CT is the method of choice to visualize especially bony structures, it was optimal to demonstrate the spatial orientation of the luxation and the vertebral fracture; while MRI provided the best evaluation of the severity of the neural compromise as it is the modality of choice for neural soft tissues
Summary
Traumatic dislocation of the atlanto-occipital joint is often fatal in humans and small animals. A second course of injections was not as effective as the previous course, and she steadily deteriorated subsequently At this point, the eagle was referred to The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (University of Edinburgh) for advanced imaging examination with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and further work-up. The junction between the medulla and the cervical spinal cord was dorsally displaced, and kinked to a level of 112 degrees at the atlanto-occipital junction, and the cerebellomedullary cistern (cisterna magna) was compressed (Figure 1). Post-contrast CT images did not reveal any abnormally contrast enhancing tissue Based on these findings, the final diagnosis was a chronic atlantooccipital subluxation with craniodorsal displacement of the atlas (atlanto-occipital overlapping) causing dynamic brainstem and spinal cord compression. Mild multifocal Wallerian degeneration of the spinal cord parenchyma was evident at the level of C3
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