II. Causes
- Trauma
- Congenital Disorders
- Down Syndrome (15% of those age <21 years old)
- Congenital Dwarfism
- Congenital Scoliosis
- Odontoid hypoplasia
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Neurofibromatosis
- Other congenital disorders of skeletal dysplasia and other osseous abnormalities
- Inflammatory Conditions
III. Symptoms suggestive of Atlantoaxial Instability
IV. Signs suggestive of Atlantoaxial Instability
- Neck Pain
- Torticollis
- Motor weakness in upper or lower extremities
- Increased Deep Tendon Reflexes
- Babinski response
- Clonus
V. Radiology: C-Spine XRay
- Indications
- Routine screening at age 5-6 no longer recommended
- Xray indicated for Signs or symptoms above
- Screen prior to Contact Sport participation
- Views
- Neutral
- Flexion
- Extension
- Interpretation
- Measure C1-C2 space
- Posterior segment of anterior arch of C1
- Anterior segment of odontoid process of C2
- Distance should be no more than 5 mm
- Measure C1-C2 space
VI. Prognosis
- Precludes Contact Sport participation if present
Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)
Related Studies
Concepts | Disease or Syndrome (T047) |
SnomedCT | 202820009 |
Italian | Instabilità atlantoassiale |
Japanese | 環軸椎不安定, カンジクツイフアンテイ |
Czech | Atlantoaxiální instabilita |
English | atlantoaxial instability, Atlantoaxial instability, Atlantoaxial instability (disorder) |
Hungarian | Atlantoaxialis instabilitás |
Spanish | inestabilidad atloaxoidea (trastorno), inestabilidad atloaxoidea, Inestabilidad atloaxoidea |
Dutch | atlanto-axiale instabiliteit |
French | Instabilité atlantoaxiale |
Portuguese | Instabilidade atlantoaxial |
German | atlantoaxiale Instabilitaet |