Anterior screw fixation in type II odontoid fracture in an 18-month-old girl: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Odontoid fractures are among the rare cervical spine injuries in pediatric population and thus the optimal management of these injuries is controversial. The increasing trend in road traffic accidents and improvement in diagnostic modalities has led to an increased detection of odontoid fractures in pediatric population. We herein report type II odontoid fracture in an 18-month-old girl after falling off the motorcycle leading to hyperextension and flexion injury. She was successfully treated with anterior odontoid screw fixation followed by immobilization with hard collar for 2 months. Callus formation was detected after 6 weeks and complete remodeling was observed at 6-year follow-up visit. This girl is among the youngest patients with type II odontoid fracture reported in literature being treated with anterior screw fixation. Further clinical series are needed to provide evidence for optimal management of odontoid fractures.

Keywords:

• Odontoid fracture
• cervical fixation
• odontoid screw
• pediatrics

Acknowledgements

We thank Ms. Mehrnaz Gholami from Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center for editing the language of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

There isn’t any conflict of interest to be declared regarding the manuscript.