Cervical Myelopathy Caused by Hypoplasia of the Atlas and Ossification of the Transverse Ligament Case Report

• Published in: Neurologia medico-chirurgica Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 55 - 59
• Main Authors: TSURUTA, Wataro, YANAKA, Kiyoyuki, OKAZAKI, Masao, MATSUMURA, Akira, NOSE, Tadao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japan Neurosurgical Society 2003
• Subjects: Aged; Cervical Atlas - abnormalities; Cervical Atlas - diagnostic imaging; Cervical Atlas - pathology; Cervical Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging; Cervical Vertebrae - pathology; Female; Humans; hypoplasia; Ligaments - diagnostic imaging; Ligaments - pathology; myelopathy; ossification; Ossification, Heterotopic - complications; Ossification, Heterotopic - diagnostic imaging; Ossification, Heterotopic - pathology; Radiography; Spinal Cord Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Spinal Cord Diseases - etiology; Spinal Cord Diseases - pathology; transverse ligament
• ISSN: 0470-8105; 1349-8029
• DOI: 10.2176/nmc.43.55

A 79-year-old Japanese female presented with symptomatic cervical myelopathy caused by a hypoplastic posterior arch of the atlas and ossification of the transverse ligament. Neuroradiological examination demonstrated a hypoplastic posterior arch of the atlas and ossification of the transverse ligament. The cervical spinal cord was compressed at the level of the atlas by both the hypoplastic posterior arch of the atlas and the ossification of the transverse ligament. The patient underwent C-1 laminectomy, which arrested the progressive myelopathy and resulted in a good recovery. Atlas hypoplasia with ossification of the transverse ligament may be associated with Asian ethnicity.