Cervical spine involvement in rheumatoid arthritis.
Cervical spine involvement in rheumatoid patients is common, the clinical symptoms varying from the asymptomatic state to severe occipito-cervical pain and various neurological syndromes. Atlanto-axial subluxation is the most common deformity and it should be operated on if it causes medullary compression signs or severe occipito-cervical headache and has an instability amplitude greater than 9 mm. Experience based on 155 cases of operatively treated rheumatoid cervical spine instabilities and deformities is described and discussed.
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000601:surgery; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery