Atlanto-axial posterolateral dislocation associated with a type II displaced odontoid fracture

We report the case of a 28-year-old man with no significant medical history admitted to the emergency room with upper cervical spinal trauma following a frontal collision of two vehicles. We found a left arm monoparesis and a posterolateral atlanto-axial dislocation associated with a fracture of the displaced type II odontoid. The patient was treated by a retropharyngeal approach anteriorly after reduction by intraoperative traction by Gardner wells tongs maintained by a weight of 10 kg. The evolution was marked by a complete recovery of the left arm monoparesis at two months followed by physiotherapy.
Source: Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery - Category: Neurosurgery Source Type: research