Subluxation Of Cervical Spine Research Articles

An analysis of predicting factors for surgical outcomes in traumatic cervical spine subluxation operated with cages and plates

An analysis of predicting factors for surgical outcomes in traumatic cervical spine subluxation operated with cages and plates

Atlantoaxial subluxation in the pediatric patient: Case series and literature review

Objective: Atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS) occurs when there is misalignment of the atlantoaxial joint. Several etiologies confer increased risk of AAS in children, including neck trauma, inflammation, infection, or inherent ligamentous laxity of the cervical spine. Methods: A single-center, retrospective case review was performed. Thirty-four patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis of S13.1 were identified. Demographics and clinical data were reviewed for etiology, imaging techniques, treatment, and clinical outcome. Results: Out of thirty-four patients, twenty-two suffered cervical spine trauma, seven presented with Grisel’s Syndrome, four presented with ligamentous laxity, and one had an unrecognizable etiology. Most diagnoses of cervical spine subluxation and/or instability were detected on computerized tomography (CT), while radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were largely performed for follow-up monitoring. Six patients underwent cervical spine fusion, five had halo traction, twelve wore a hard and/or soft collar without having surgery or halo traction, and eight were referred to physical therapy without other interventions. Conclusion: Pediatric patients with atlantoaxial subluxation may benefit from limited 3D CT scans of the upper cervical spine for accurate diagnosis. Conservative treatment with hard cervical collar and immobilization after reduction may be attempted, but halo traction and halo vest immobilization may be necessary. If non-operative treatment fails, cervical spine internal reduction and fixation may be necessary to maintain normal C1-C2 alignment.

Simple Erosion Narrowing Score of the hands as a predictor of cervical spine subluxation in rheumatoid arthritis.

BackgroundInvolvement of the cervical spine is common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and can lead to devastating or even fatal consequences. Currently no guidelines exist as to whether radiographs of the cervical spine should be included in follow-up visits.ObjectivesTo determine whether the Simple Erosion Narrowing Score (SENS) of the hands correlate with the presence of cervical spine subluxation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.MethodThis was a retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study. A total of 56 rheumatoid arthritis patients with hand radiographs and lateral radiographs of the cervical spine were evaluated. The SENS of the hands and the presence of cervical spine subluxation were compared. The SENS of the hands was correlated with the prevalence of cervical spine subluxation, as was the erosion and joint space narrowing scores of the hands.ResultsA correlation between the SENS of the hands and the prevalence of cervical spine subluxation was confirmed. A higher prevalence of cervical spine subluxation correlated with an increase in the SENS of the hands (p = 0.0002). The erosion and joint space narrowing scores of the hands also correlated with the prevalence of cervical spine subluxation (p = 0.0001).ConclusionThis study confirmed that a correlation exists between cervical spine subluxation, peripheral joint space erosions and joint space narrowing in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and SENS may therefore be used as a predictor of cervical spine disease.

An epidemiology of paediatric cervical spine injuries at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital over a ten-year period

Background: Paediatric cervical spine injury (CSI) is rare compared to adult CSI. Very little has been published regarding the epidemiology and outcome of CSI in children in South Africa. The objective of this retrospective study is to characterise the epidemiology and report on the outcome of CSI in children <13 years at a tertiary referral centre for paediatric trauma. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of CSI at our hospital over a ten-year period. The Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) of our institution was searched for patients with CSIs. Search terms included: cervical spine fracture, subluxation, dislocation, contusion, SCIWORA (spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality) and retroclival haematoma. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from hospital records. Injury-related variables were compared for children ≤8 and >8 years due to anatomical and biomechanical differences observed. Outcome was assessed using the Frankel grading. Results: Sixty-six children were identified with a cumulative incidence of 0.1%. The median age was 7 years (inter-quartile range 4–8.8) and 65% were male. All injuries were caused by blunt trauma. Passenger motor vehicle injury (MVA) accounted for 52% of injuries. Injuries due to physical abuse, and recreational and sporting activities did not occur. Children ≤8 years of age incurred more injuries than those >8 years (74.2% vs 25.8%). Ninety-eight per cent of injuries occurred in the upper cervical spine (C1–C4) of children ≤8 years. Of the 13 (19.6%) children with neurologic injury, five (7.5%) had complete spinal cord injury, four (6%) had incomplete neurology, and three (4.5%) died. SCIWORA occurred in six (9%) children with variable outcome. Seven patients (10.6%) were operated for instability. An injury severity score (ISS) of 25 (13–34) was associated with poor outcome. The mortality rate was 4.5% and all children who died were ≤8 years with upper CSIs and closed head injuries (CHIs) related to MVA. Conclusion: CSI occurred in 0.1% of patients evaluated following trauma. MVAs, either pedestrian or passenger, were responsible for the majority of these injuries. Children ≤8 years were more frequently injured and sustained injuries to the upper cervical spine. The majority of paediatric CSIs are stable injuries that can be managed conservatively; however, urgent surgical stabilisation is indicated for unstable injuries. CSI with associated CHI caused by MVAs in young children is associated with death. Even though our patients are referred from high violence communities, no CSIs were attributed to physical abuse or penetrating injury. Level of evidence: Level 4

External fixation and surgical fusion for pediatric cervical spine injuries: Short-term outcomes

ObjectiveTo compare in-hospital complication rates in pediatric patients with atlantoaxial and subaxial injuries undergoing either external fixation or surgical fusion. Patients and methodsBaseline and outcome data were obtained from the 2002–2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) for patients under the age of 18 with a diagnosis of cervical spine fracture without spinal cord injury or cervical spine subluxation. Patients who underwent external immobilization or internal fixation were included for analysis. Variables analyzed included length of stay, in-hospital mortality, discharge disposition, total hospital charges, and development of at least one in-hospital complication. ResultsA total of 2878 pediatric patients with cervical spine injury were identified; 1462 patients (50.8%) with atlantoaxial (C1-2) injury and 1416 (49.2%) with subaxial (C3-7) injury. Among atlantoaxial injury patients, external fixation was associated with lower total charges ($73,786 vs. $98,158, p = .040) and a lower likelihood of developing at least one complication (1.9% vs. 6.8%, p = .029) compared to surgical fusion, and was a more common treatment for subluxation alone (16.4% vs. 2.6%, p < .001). Among subaxial injury patients, there were no significant differences in age (p = .262), length of stay (p = .196), occurrence of at least one complication (p = .334), or total charges (p = .142). Subaxial subluxation injuries alone were treated more often with surgical fusion (2.2% vs. 1.2%, p < .001). ConclusionOptimal treatment of patients with cervical injury may vary by location of injury. Our findings warrant further investigation into the difference in clinical outcomes between surgical and non-surgical management of atlantoaxial and subaxial injury.

William Edward Gallie (1882-1959): father of the Gallie wiring technique for atlantoaxial arthrodesis.

William Edward Gallie (1882-1959) was a Canadian general surgeon with special expertise in orthopedic surgery. His experience with surgical management of cervical spine subluxation led him to invent a method of cervical wiring of the atlas to the axis. His method of C1-2 wiring has since been modified, but it still remains one of the three most commonly taught wiring techniques in neurosurgical training programs. Gallie is also hailed for instituting the first surgical training program in Canada, a curriculum his pupils memorialized as the "Gallie course" in surgery. In this historical vignette, the authors describe Gallie's life and depict his contributions to surgery.

Should parental decision override best interest of a handicapped child? - A case illustration in a Malaysian child with Down Syndrome

The paper discusses on the complexity of the issues surrounding a patient with subluxation of cervical spine in a Down syndrome child. Several relevant issues including consent in a minor, conflicting decision making between parents and doctors, end-of-life issues, supporting handicapped child with minimal comorbidities, community ethics, neglect of care by the caregiver and decision making after allowing zonal of parental discretion. Despite the difficulties surrounding parental actions, there are still ethical priorities which have to be considered individually to alleviate the suffering of the patients and the family members. Dealing with patients with chronic illnesses is a challenge for any medical doctors. The case warrants sensitive approach to allow appropriate respect for parental decision despite in disagreement with the clinical team. The term ‘zone of parental discretion’ refers to a controversial area of decision making; and has still many potential conflicts on day to day clinical cases, especially among the conservative society in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Neurologic complications of systemic lupus erythematosus, sjögren syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Neurologic complications are frequent and often morbid in systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis. Although all are systemic inflammatory syndromes, each disease affects the nervous system distinctly, such as peripheral neuropathy in Sjögren syndrome, cerebrovascular disease in lupus, and cervical spine subluxation in rheumatoid arthritis. Some neurologic complications share convergent pathophysiology across diseases, such as neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders in both Sjögren syndrome and lupus. Ill-defined cognitive complaints are especially common in lupus and Sjögren syndrome. For the majority of the complications, evidence for treatment efficacy is limited and requires further investigation.

Blunt Assault: ‘Million Dollar Baby’

Contrasting reports exist in the literature regarding the management of patients with blunt assault to the head, neck, and face and more importantly for clearing the cervical spine. The purpose of our study was to determine the risk of cervical spine injuries after blunt assault to the head, neck, and face and its association with other injuries. We performed a retrospective case review of all blunt assault trauma admissions to the head, neck, and face at our Level I trauma center. We identified all patients who were assaulted with hands and feet and blunt instruments. A total of 3286 patients with blunt assault to the head, neck, and face were identified of whom 11 (0.003%) were found to have a cervical spine fracture or cervical spine subluxation. None of the patients had a cervical spinal cord injury. The 11 patients composed our study population with a mean age of 39 ± 7.8 years, 100 per cent were male, and the mean Injury Severity Score was 12 ± 7.9. Five (45%) patients required surgery for stabilization of the cervical spine. Mortality was reported in only one patient who had a C7 transverse process fracture. Cervical spine injury after blunt assault is rare but does occur and encompasses significant injuries requiring surgical intervention. However, these injuries are the result of direct blows to the cervical spine and we suggest that assaulted patients with no direct trauma to the neck do not require an exhaustive evaluation of the cervical spine.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease: Is there Any Link?

The association between autoimmune rheumatic diseases and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is complex. Systemic inflammation secondary to OSA may underlie this association. It is possible that OSA-related inflammation may trigger the occurrence of autoimmune rheumatic disease in genetically susceptible individuals. On the other hand, autoimmune rheumatic diseases can lead to OSA or worsen preexisting OSA. Temporomandibular joint destruction, cervical spine subluxation and brainstem compression are the factors responsible for the above observation. Future studies are needed to clarify whether OSA is an independent risk factor for the development of autoimmune disease and whether OSA management will lead to a reduction in the incidence of autoimmune disease. On the other hand, it is important to treat autoimmune rheumatic disease promptly, to reduce the risk of complications, with OSA being one of these.

Neurologic outcome of surgical and conservative treatment of rheumatoid cervical spine subluxation: A systematic review

Rheumatoid arthritis commonly involves the upper cervical spine and can cause significant neurologic morbidity and mortality. However, there is no consensus on the optimal timing for surgical intervention: whether surgery should be performed prophylactically or once neurologic deficits have become apparent. A systematic review of the literature was performed to analyze neurologic outcome (Ranawat) and survival time (Kaplan-Meier) after surgical or conservative treatment using the MOOSE (Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system) criteria. Twenty-five observational studies were selected. No randomized controlled trials (RCTs) could be found. All of the studies had a high risk of bias. Twenty-three studies reported the neurologic outcome after surgery for 752 patients. Neurologic deterioration rarely occurred in Ranawat I and II patients. Ranawat III patients did not fully recover. The 10-year survival rates were 77%, 63%, 47%, and 30% for Ranawat I, II, IIIA, and IIIB, respectively. The Ranawat IIIB patients had a significantly worse outcome. Another 185 patients treated conservatively were described in 7 studies. Neurologic deterioration rarely occurred in Ranawat I patients, but was almost inevitable in Ranawat II, IIIA, and IIIB patients. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a 10-year overall survival rate of 40%. There are no RCTs that compared surgery with conservative treatment. In observational studies, surgical neurologic outcomes were better than conservative treatment in all patients with cervical spine involvement, and in asymptomatic patients with no neurologic impairment (Ranawat I) the outcomes were similar; however, the evidence is weak. Survival time of surgical and conservative treatment could not be compared.

Subaxial subluxation after atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation in rheumatoid patients

The most common cervical abnormality associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is atlantoaxial subluxation, and atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation has proved to be one of the most reliable, stable fixation techniques for treating atlantoaxial subluxation. Following C1-C2 fixation, however, subaxial subluxation reportedly can bring about neurological deterioration and require secondary operative interventions. Rheumatoid patients appear to have a higher risk, but there has been no systematic comparison between rheumatoid and non-rheumatoid patients. Contributing radiological factors to the subluxation have also not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to evaluate subaxial subluxation after atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation in patients with and without RA and to find contributing factors. Forty-three patients who submitted to atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation without any concomitant operation were followed up for more than 1 year. Subaxial subluxation and related radiological factors were evaluated by functional X-ray measurements. Statistical analyses showed that aggravations of subluxation of 2.5 mm or greater were more likely to occur in RA patients than in non-RA patients over an average of 4.2 years of follow-up, and postoperative subluxation occurred in the anterior direction in the upper cervical spine. X-ray evaluations revealed that such patients had a significantly smaller postoperative C2-C7 angle, and that the postoperative AA angle correlated negatively with this. Furthermore, anterior subluxation aggravation was significantly correlated with the perioperative atlantoaxial and C2-C7 angle changes, and these two changes were strongly correlated to each other. In conclusion, after atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation, rheumatoid patients have a greater risk of developing subaxial subluxations. The increase of the atlantoaxial angel at the operation can lead to a decrease in the C2-C7 angle, followed by anterior subluxation of the upper cervical spine and possibly neurological deterioration.

Single anterior approach surgery for old cervical spine subluxation

Objective To implore the feasibility of using single anterior approach surgery for old cervical spine subluxation. Methods From May 2004 to July 2006,16 cases of old cervical spine subluxation underwent cervical spine surgery through anterior approach at least 2 months after injury. During operation, we managed to reconstruct the cervical vertebral body alignment through a special anterior approach decompression, application of retractor instrument, titanium mesh and plate manipulation. Results Follow-ups averaged 8.5(6 to 11) months. The cervical vertebral body alignment Was obtained in all the 16 cases. The osseous fusion was assured in all cases with no instrument failure. The JOA neurological scores were improved from 13.4 preoperatively to 15.9 postoperatively. Conclusion If there is no posterior compression and the posterior structure has a fibrous fusion, the single anterior approach is good enough for the old cervical spine subluxation to maintain alignment and obtain stability, and posterior reduction is not necessary. Key words: Cervical vertebrae; Dislocation; Instrumentation; Anterior approach

Computed tomography reconstruction artifact suggesting cervical spine subluxation

Use of computed tomography (CT) imaging for evaluation of the cervical spine following blunt trauma is both an efficient and reliable method for detecting injury. As a result, many trauma centers and emergency departments rely exclusively on CT scans to acutely clear the cervical spine of injury. Although quite sensitive for detecting bone injury, CT may be associated with a low sensitivity for detecting herniated discs, injured soft tissue or ligaments, and dynamic instability. In addition, CT-generated artifact may obscure pathological findings. In this case report, we describe the course of a patient whose CT scan harbored CT-generated artifact that suggested traumatic subluxation of the cervical spine. Clinicians should be aware of such artifact and how to recognize it when basing clinical management on such studies.

Circumferential fusion for sub-axial cervical spine fracture — subluxations

Fracture subluxation or traumatic spondylolisthesis of sub-axial cervical spine is a common but serious spinal injury encountered by neurosurgeons. It is frequently associated with spinal cord injury. Although decompression of spinal cord either anteriorly or posteriorly depending upon the site of compression is straight forward, there is no consensus regarding the approach for stabilization of spine either anterior or posterior or both, after decompression of spinal cord. Circumferential fusion involves combined anterior and posterior stabilization of sub-axial cervical spine. Some of the cases of circumferential fusion performed by the author are presented here. Anterior stabilization was performed with titanium cage or iliac graft insertion at corpectomy or discectomy site along with Anterior cervical plating and posterior stabilization was performed with Apofix clamps or interspinous wiring (cable) or lateral mass plating. Also one patient in whom only anterior stabilization was performed but who had recurrence of dislocation is also cited as an example of inadequacy of only one approach of stabilization to a 3 column cervical spine injury.

Cervical Spine Subluxation in Marfan Syndrome

Subluxation of the cervical spine may occur in patients secondary to trauma. Patients with Down syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis can have spontaneous cervical spine subluxation. Although cervical spine abnormalities are common in patients with Marfan syndrome, clinical problems are rare1. Lumbar subluxation is rarely seen in patients with this condition2 and, in an extensive review of cervical spine involvement in patients with Marfan syndrome, Hobbs et al. noted no cases of cervical subluxation1. We describe the clinical features and surgical treatment of a patient with Marfan syndrome who had progressive multilevel cervical subluxation. The patient was informed that information concerning this case would be submitted for publication. Athirteen-year-and-four-month-old boy presented to the Spine Service with right-sided neck pain associated with decreased range of motion. There was no history of trauma or recent illness. The medical history was unremarkable. The range of neck motion was flexion to 45°, extension to 10°, left axial rotation to 60°, and right axial rotation to 20°. The patient had mild upper cervical spine tenderness and had normal findings on neurological examination. Initial radiographic examination revealed anterior subluxation of C2 on C3, with marked segmental kyphosis (Fig. 1). Magnetic resonance imaging revealed disc-space changes at C2-C3 that were consistent with infection. The facet joints were aligned. Given the patient's complaints of pain and the finding of cervical subluxation on plain radiographs, the patient was admitted for evaluation and treatment. Computed tomography revealed no evidence of fracture. A bone scan with SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) imaging showed slight posterior uptake at C2-C3 consistent with trauma. The findings of the laboratory evaluation were unremarkable and included a normal white blood-cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein level. The patient was managed with skeletal traction with use of tongs, with easy …

Tetraplegia in rheumatoid arthritis with complete recovery after surgery.

Abstract A patient with tetraplegia caused by subluxation of the lower cervical spine in rheumatoid arthritis is presented. The clinical history, early complication, and delayed diagnosis are described. Compression of the dura mater by rheumatoid granulation tissue and vertebral subluxation are suggested to be responsible for the cord damage. Failure of conservative treatment after a week is a strong indication for surgery. Posterior decompression of the cervical spine and splitting of the dura mater are recommended.

Reappraisal of cervical spine subluxation in Thai patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Subluxation of the cervical spine is one of a number of devastating complications of rheumatoid arthritis. In spite of this, the features of cervical spine subluxation in Thai patients with rheumatoid arthritis have never previously been studied. We enrolled 134 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were being followed at the rheumatology clinic, Ramathibodi Hospital, during 1978-2001. Radiological examinations were made in lateral neck flexion, extension and open-mouth views. Symptoms of neck pain and the results of relevant neurological examinations were recorded at the time of imaging. Other data on clinical features and treatments since diagnosis were reviewed retrospectively. The overall prevalence of cervical spine subluxation was 68.7%, which can be categorised into anterior (26.9%), posterior (14.9%), lateral (17.2%), vertical (16.4%) atlantoaxial and subaxial subluxation (28.4%). The percentages of cervical subluxation in patients who had suffered from the disease for 1, 5, 10 or more than 10 years were 77.8%, 64.9%, 70% and 64.7%, respectively. None of the patients had neurological deficits. No correlation between neck pain and cervical spine subluxation was established. The number of patients treated with corticosteroids was significantly higher in the subluxation group than in the non-subluxation group ( p=0.04). However, no difference in duration of treatment and cumulative dosages of steroids was displayed between the two groups. It was concluded that the prevalence of cervical spine subluxation in Thai patients with rheumatoid arthritis is much higher than the average, even in the early phase of the disease. Hence, radiological examination of the cervical spine should be included in the initial evaluation of Thai RA patients. Corticosteroid use was associated with cervical subluxation, regardless of dose and duration of treatment. The possible explanations are that steroids may directly cause ligament laxity, osteoporosis and decreasing muscle mass, which leads to accelerated subluxation, or that steroid treatments are used in more severe cases which have a higher tendency towards cervical subluxation.

Early and extensive erosiveness in peripheral joints predicts atlantoaxial subluxations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

To study the prevalence of cervical spine subluxations and predictive factors for atlantoaxial subluxations (including anterior atlantoaxial subluxation and atlantoaxial impaction, i.e., vertical subluxation) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were treated early and continuously with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for 8-13 years. Radiographs of the cervical spine were obtained in 103 of 110 patients (the 110 surviving patients of the original 135-patient cohort) at their 8-13-year followup visits. The prevalence of cervical spine subluxations was determined. Demographic variables and the first 5-year serial data concerning disease course were analyzed in a logistic regression model to find predictive factors for atlantoaxial subluxations. Atlantoaxial subluxations were found in 14 patients (14%), and 5 patients (5%) had subaxial subluxations. Older age at baseline, greater disease activity during the first 5 years, and early erosiveness in peripheral joints predicted the development of atlantoaxial subluxations. Patients who had >or=10% of the maximum possible radiographic damage (by Larsen score) in peripheral joints at 5 years were 15.9 times more likely to develop atlantoaxial subluxations at 8-13 years than patients whose peripheral joint damage remained <10% of the maximum. Compared with historical control RA cohorts, a lower prevalence of cervical spine destruction was found in the present group of patients. Rapid erosiveness in peripheral joints was the best predictor for atlantoaxial subluxations. Extensive erosiveness in peripheral joints should alert rheumatologists to the possible development of atlantoaxial subluxations in patients with RA.

Posterior circulation stroke in childhood: risk factors and recurrence.

To ascertain whether posterior circulation stroke in children has distinctive clinical or radiologic features. Patients were identified retrospectively from two pediatric neurology centers. Clinical details were ascertained by chart review, and radiologic data were reviewed by three neuroradiologists. Twenty-two cases were identified (17 boys). Twenty children had evidence of vertebrobasilar arterial abnormalities, which were multifocal in 12. The etiology of these was vertebral artery dissection in 10 cases and unclear in the remaining 10. Cardiac abnormalities were rare (n = 4). Other risk factors for stroke in childhood were hypertension (n = 9), the thermolabile methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase gene mutation (n = 4), and the factor V Leiden mutation (n = 2). Two children had subluxation of the upper cervical spine at the extreme of normal limits. In follow-up for 6 months to 11 years (median 4 years), five patients had further strokes and seven had TIA. Overall, 12 patients had no residual neurologic deficits. The male preponderance, frequency of arterial dissection, rarity of cardiac embolism, and >20% recurrence were notable. Cerebral angiography is usually indicated if a definitive diagnosis is not made on MRI. Additional investigations should include echocardiography and cervical spine radiography in flexion and extension.