Os odontoideum associated with a retro-odontoid cyst treated with posterior C1-C3 fixation: A case report and literature review

Os odontoideum is a rare abnormality of the upper cervical spine, and os odontoideum associated with a retro-odontoid cyst has been described as a marker of local instability. This paper reports a case of a 52-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with os odontoideum associated with a retro-odon...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in surgery 2023-01, Vol.9, p.1006167
Main Authors: Bao, Bei-Xi, Yan, Hui, Tang, Jia-Guang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
atlantoaxial stability
gradual resorption of cyst
os odontoideum
posterior c1-C3 fixation
retro-odontoid cyst
Surgery
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Summary:Os odontoideum is a rare abnormality of the upper cervical spine, and os odontoideum associated with a retro-odontoid cyst has been described as a marker of local instability. This paper reports a case of a 52-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with os odontoideum associated with a retro-odontoid cyst. The patient underwent posterior C1-C3 fixation without surgical removal of the cyst. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) two days later revealed that the retro-odontoid cyst was still present and that there were no significant changes to it when compared with the preoperative MRI. Retro-odontoid cysts associated with unstable os odontoideum can lead to symptomatic spinal cord compression. Posterior C1-C3 fixation can restore atlantoaxial stability by allowing the gradual resorption of the cyst and ensuring spinal cord decompression. Fixation can also avoid the surgical risk associated with a high-riding vertebral artery.
ISSN:2296-875X
2296-875X
DOI:10.3389/fsurg.2022.1006167