CASE REPORT

Type I Odontoid Fracture, Controversies and Difficulties

Fratura do Odontoide Tipo I: controvérsias e dificuldades

  • Marcel Sincari    Marcel Sincari
  • Mark-Daniel Sincari    Mark-Daniel Sincari
  Views: 84
  Downloads: 4

Resumo

Apresentamos o caso de um homem de 61 anos com fratura do odontoide tipo I em C2, tratado com imobilização externa, que desenvolveu, dez meses depois, instabilidade C1-C2, necessitando de tratamento cirúrgico. O paciente foi encaminhado para tratamento cirúrgico após falha do tratamento conservador. A instabilidade C1-C2 foi diagnosticada com base em radiografia dinâmica e ressonância magnética. Houve melhora clínica após a cirurgia; as radiografias pós-operatórias revelaram fixação adequada da instabilidade e posicionamento correto dos parafusos, com acompanhamento sem intercorrências.

Palavras-chave

Palavras-Chave: Odontoide; Instabilidade; Ligamento

Abstract

We present a 61 year-old male patient with Type I C2 odontoid fracture, treated with external immobilization that developed C1-C2 instability ten months later that required surgical treatment. The patient was selected for surgical treatment after the failure of conservative treatment. The C1-C2 instability was diagnosed based on dynamic X-Ray, MRI. He improved clinically after the surgery; the postoperative images X-Ray revealed adequate instability fixation and correct screw placement, with uneventful follow up.

Keywords

Keywords: Odontoid; Instability; Ligament

References

1. Julien TD, Frankel B, Traynelis VC, Ryken TC. Evidence-based analysis of odontoid fracture management. Neurosurg Focus.

2000;8(6):e1. https://doi.org/10.3171/foc.2000.8.6.2. PMid:16859271.

2. Govender S, Vlok GJ, Fisher-Jeffes N, Du Preez CP. Traumatic dislocation of the atlanto-occipital joint. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2003;85(6):875-8. https://doi.org/10.1302/0301-620X.85B6.14092. PMid:12931810.

3. Grob D. Transarticular screw fixation for atlanto-occipital dislocation. Spine. 2001;26(6):703-7. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-20010315000030. PMid:11246390.

4. Sponseller PD, Cass JR. Atlanto-occipital fusion for dislocation in children with neurologic preservation: a case report. Spine. 1997;22(3):344-7. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-199702010-00020. PMid:9051897.

5. Hosono N, Yonenobu K, Kawagoe K, Hirayama N, Ono K. Traumatic anterior atlanto-occipital dislocation: a case report with survival. Spine. 1993;18(6):786-90. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-199305000-00023. PMid:8516716.

6. Bundschuh CV, Alley JB, Ross M, Porter IS, Gudeman SK. Magnetic resonance imaging of suspected atlanto-occipital dislocation. Two case reports. Spine. 1992;17(2):245-8. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632199202000-00024. PMid:1553600.

7. Papadopoulos SM, Dickman CA, Sonntag VK, Rekate HL, Spetzler RF. Traumatic atlantooccipital dislocation with survival. Neurosurgery. 1991;28(4):574-9. https://doi.org/10.1227/00006123-199104000-00015. PMid:2034353.

8. Maak TG, Grauer JN. BS, and Jonathan N. Grauer. The contemporary treatment of odontoid injuries. Spine. 2006;31(11, Suppl):S53-60. https:// doi.org/10.1097/01.brs.0000217941.55817.52.

9. Mathkour M, Cardona JJ, Chaiyamoon A, et al. Classifications of odontoid process fractures: a systematic review and proposal of a new simplified classification system based on embryology. Cureus. 2022;14(12):e32520. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.32520. PMid:36654633.

10. Maak TG, Grauer JN. The contemporary treatment of odontoid injuries. Spine. 2006;31(11, Suppl):S53-60. https://doi.org/10.1097/01. brs.0000217941.55817.52. PMid:16685237.

11. Fujii E, Kobayashi K, Hirabayashi K. Treatment in fractures of the odontoid process. Spine. 1988;13(6):604-9. https:// doi.org/10.1097/00007632-198813060-00002. PMid:3175749.

12. Chiba K, Fujimura Y, Toyama Y, Fujii E, Nakanishi T, Hirabayashi K. Treatment protocol for fractures of the odontoid process. J Spinal Disord. 1996;9(4):267-76. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002517-19960800000001. PMid:8877952.

13. Wong DA, Mack RP, Craigmile TK. Traumatic atlantoaxial dislocation without fracture of the odontoid. Spine. 1991;16(5):587-9. https:// doi.org/10.1097/00007632-199105000-00021. PMid:2053005.

14. Grauer JN, Shafi B, Hilibrand AS, et al. Proposal of a modified, treatmentoriented classification of odontoid fractures. Spine J. 2005;5(2):123-9.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2004.09.014. PMid:15749611.

15. Guiot B, Fessler RG. Complex atlantoaxial fractures. J Neurosurg. 1999;91(2, Suppl):139-43. https://doi.org/10.3171/spi.1999.91.2.0139.

PMid:10505495.

16. Guo X, Ni B, Zhao W, et al. Biomechanical assessment of bilateral C1 laminar hook and C1-2 transarticular screws and bone graft for atlantoaxial instability. J Spinal Disord Tech. 2009;22(8):578-85. https://doi.org/10.1097/BSD.0b013e31818da3fe. PMid:19956032.

17. Ni B, Zhou F, Xie N, et al. Transarticular screw and C1 hook fixation for os odontoideum with atlantoaxial dislocation. World Neurosurg. 2011;75(3-4):540-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2010.07.021.

PMid:21600509.



1Department of Neurosurgery, Unidade Local de Saúde Viseu, Dão-Lafões, Portugal.

2Medical Faculty, Coimbra University, Coimbra, Portugal.


 

Received Dec 19, 2025

Corrected Jan 11, 2026

Accepted Feb 2, 2026


JBNC  Brazilian Journal of Neurosurgery

JBNC
  •   ISSN (print version): 0103-5118
  •   e-ISSN (online version): 2446-6786
iThenticate
Open Access

Contact

Social Media

   

ABNc  Academia Brasileira de Neurocirurgia

  •   Rua da Quitanda 159 – 10º andar - Centro - CEP 20091-005 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ
  •   +55 21 2233.0323
  •    abnc@abnc.org.br

Sponsor

  • Brain4Care
  • Hospital INC
  • Strattner
  • Zeiss