Updated: 11/22/2022

Atlantoaxial Instability

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  • etiology
    • The atlantoaxial joint is an important "transitional zone" in the cervical spine
      • prone to instability by both degenerative and traumatic processes.
    • Pathophysiology
      • adult causes
        • degenerative
          • Down's syndrome
          • Rheumatoid Arthritis
          • Os odontoideum
        • traumatic
          • Type I odontoid fracture (very rare)
          • Atlas fractures
          • Transverse ligament injuries
      • pediatric causes
        • degenerative
          • JRA
          • Morquio's Syndrome
            • lysosomal storage disorder
        • trauma/infection
          • rotatory atlantoaxial subluxation
  • Anatomy
    • Osteology
      • bony articulations
        • C1-C2 facet joints
    • Ligaments
      • transverse apical alar ligament complex
        • transverse ligament
          • most important stabilizer
        • apical ligament
          • single midline structure
        • alar ligaments
          • paired parasagittal ligament
    • Biomechanics
      • the atlantoaxial joint provides ~50% of rotation in the cervical spine
        • this is enabled by the peg (C2)-ring(C1) anatomy
  • Physical Exam
    • Symptoms
      • symptomatic
      • neck pain
      • neurologic symptoms
    • Physical exam
      • neurologic deficits
        • often appear late in disease process due to capacious nature of spinal canal at the C1 level
        • myelopathic symptoms
          • hyperreflexia (patellar tendon reflex)
          • muscles weakness
          • broad based gait
          • decreased hand dexterity
          • loss of motor milestones
          • bladder problems
  • Imaging
    • Radiographs
      • flexion-extension xrays
        • atlanto-dens interval (ADI)
          • measurement
            • distance between odontoid process and the posterior border of the anterior arch of the atlas
          • adult parameters
            • > 3.5mm considered unstable
            • > 10mm indicates surgery in RA
          • other
            • must get preoperative flexion-extension radiographs to clear all high-risk patients for any type of surgery
        • space-available-cord (SAC) = posterior atlanto-dens-interval (PADI)
          • measurement
            • distance from posterior surface of dens to anterior surface of posterior arch of atlas
          • adult parameters
            • in adults with RA < 14 mm associated with increased risk of neurologic injury and is an indication for surgery
      • open mouth odontoid
        • sum of lateral mass displacement
          • measurement
            • lateral mass are connect by ring of C1, and therefore can only be displaced relative to each other if
              • there is a bony fracture (disruption of the ring)
              • the transverse ligament is ruptured
                • transverse ligaments binds them together
          • adult parameters
            • if > 8.1 mm, then a transverse ligament rupture is assured and the injury pattern is considered unstable
  • Treatment
    • Determined by specific condition
      • adult atlantoaxial instability
        • Down's syndrome
        • Rheumatoid Arthritis
        • Os odontoideum
        • Odontoid fracture
        • Atlas fractures
        • Transverse ligament injuries
      • pediatric atlantoaxial instability
        • JRA
        • Morquio's Syndrome
        • Rotatory atlantoaxial subluxation

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Flashcards (24)
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Questions (1)

(OBQ09.111) An 11-year-old male complains of one year duration of neck pain. He denies any recent trauma. He has noticed intermittent episodes of gait imbalance and difficulty with buttoning his shirt over the past 3 months. Physical exam shows normal strength in all four extremities and hyper-reflexic patellar tendons. Neutral and flexion radiographs are shown in Figures A and B. A sagittal CT scan is shown in Figure C with a coronal reconstruction shown in Figure D. What is the most appropriate treatment?

QID: 2924
FIGURES:

PT to strengthen the dynamic stabilizers of the neck

5%

(252/5385)

Soft collar wear during any athletic activities

1%

(30/5385)

Cessation of all contact sports with no surgical intervention

11%

(601/5385)

Posterior C1-C2 fusion

76%

(4083/5385)

Anterior C1-2 fusion

7%

(394/5385)

L 2 C

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