A Rare Cause of Myelopathy: Os Odontoideum

• Published in: Türk nöroloji dergisi Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 184 - 185
• Main Authors: Balal, Mehmet, Şanlı, Zeynep Selcan, Demirkıran, Meltem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Turkish
• Published: Ankara Türk Nöroloji Derneği 01.01.2018; Galenos Publishing House; Galenos Yayinevi
• Subjects: Craniocervical junction anomalies; myelopathy; os odontoideum; Tıp; Ankara; Türkiye; os odontoideum; Craniocervical junction anomalies; Kraniyoservikal bileşke anomalileri; miyelopati; myelopathy
• ISSN: 1301-062X; 1309-2545; 1309-2545; 1301-062X
• DOI: 10.4274/tnd.79059

A 60-year-old female patient was admitted with difficulty in walking. We learned that her symptoms started with head and neck pain 6 years ago, and that difficulty in walking was added to her symptoms over time. In the last few years, she started to have upper extremity weakness and atrophy, and we learned that she could not mobilize herself for the past three months. Her medical history and family history were normal. At the initial neurologic examination, she was conscious, oriented and cooperative, and cranial nerves were intact. Proximal dominant quadriparesis syndrome was present. Deep tendon reflexes were increased in the upper extremities, hyperactive in the lower extremities, and Hoffman’s and Tromner’s signs were bilaterally positive. Bilateral Achilles and patellar clonus were present, she had bilateral extensor plantar reflex, her superficial tactile sensation was normal, and cerebellar tests were impaired due to paresis. There was bilateral atrophy of the forearm, interosseous, thenar, hypothenar, and peroneal muscle groups with no fasciculation.