Severe traumatic atlantoaxial dislocation and type III odontoid fracture treated with occipitocervical fixation: a case report

TL;DR

A rare case of severe neck injury involving dislocation and a specific type of fracture was treated with a surgical stabilization procedure.

Contribution

This case report presents a rare combination of atlantoaxial dislocation and type III odontoid fracture treated with occipitocervical fixation.

Findings

The patient had traumatic atlantoaxial dislocation with a type III odontoid fracture.

Occipitocervical stabilization was performed to treat the instability.

Such cases are rare, occurring in less than 2% of upper cervical spine injuries.

Abstract

The combination of atlantoaxial joint dislocation accompanied by an odontoid process fracture is exceptionally rare, with only a few cases reported. The estimated frequency of these cases is < 2% of all upper cervical spine injuries. In this report, the authors describe an unusual case of traumatic atlantoaxial dislocation with a type III odontoid fracture in a 44-year-old male patient. Before the diagnosis, the patient had a history of seeking a masseur for a neck massage. Subsequently, the patient underwent occipitocervical stabilization to address the underlying condition. This procedure aims to treat the instability between the skull and cervical spine and should be considered in the treatment planning if the patient’s anatomy suits it.

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