Absence of the Posterior Element of C1 and C2 Along With Mild Wedge Shape in Body of C3: Case Report

Ehsan Golchini; Mohammad Abdi; Akbar Pourrahimi; Hojjat Torkmandi

doi:10.18502/acta.v61i10.15666

Ehsan Golchini Department of Operating Room, School of Paramedical Sciences, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
Mohammad Abdi Department of Emergency and Critical Care, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Akbar Pourrahimi Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Hojjat Torkmandi Department of Operating Room, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/acta.v61i10.15666

Keywords: Cervical vertebrae; Cervical spine; Occipitocervical fusion; Atlas; Axis

Abstract

Due to the wide variety of cervical vertebral congenital anomalies, knowledge of their types and related clinical conditions can prove to be helpful for physicians and surgeons in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. The aim of this study is to report on a rare case of unstable cervical vertebral congenital anomaly in which the patient had a defect in the body of the C3 vertebra in addition to defects in the posterior arch of C1 and posterior element of C2. This type of anomaly has not been reported so far in the literature. To reduce the patient’s related neurological disorders, our treatment choice for this patient was occipitocervical fusion (OCF) surgery. At the 3-year postoperative follow-up, all sensory and motor problems related to this anomaly affecting the patient's upper and lower limbs and causing shoulder and neck pain were eliminated. In this rare type of anomaly, OCF surgery seems to be an effective choice in relieving the patient's neurological symptoms.