Affiliation:
1. Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil
Abstract
ABSTRACT The first cervical vertebra is subject to numerous anatomical variations. One of these is posterior arch agenesis, which is classified into five distinct morphological types. Together, all types of posterior arch agenesis comprise only 4% of atlas variations. Furthermore, complete agenesis of the posterior arch associated with the presence of the posterior tubercle is rare. This work reports a case of posterior arch agenesis with the presence of the posterior tubercle in a 33 year-old male victim of a motor vehicle collision. Despite being asymptomatic, this anatomical variation can present with headaches and neck pain. It is mostly found as an incidental finding in imaging studies performed by the emergency team and, as a result, it is often misdiagnosed as a C1 fracture. Knowledge of the variations relating to the first cervical vertebra is therefore essential to avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment of polytraumatized patients. Level of evidence V; Case report.
Subject
Clinical Neurology,Orthopedics and Sports Medicine,Surgery
Reference17 articles.
1. Tratado de Anatomia Humana;Testut L,1958
2. Bergman's Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation;Tubbs RS,2016
3. Congenital Defects of the Posterior Arch of the Atlas: A Report of Seven Cases Including an Affected Mother and Son;Currarino G;AJNR Am J Neuroradiol,1994
4. The craniocervical junction: embryology, anatomy, biomechanics and imaging in blunt trauma;Offiah CE;Insights Imaging,2017
5. Congenital anomaly of the atlas misdiagnosed as posterior arch fracture of the atlas and atlantoaxial subluxation;Park Y;Clin Orthop Surg,2014