Trauma to anomalous cervical spine.
A case of aplastic arch of the atlas (Keller's type) with severe injury to the cervical spine is presented. The impact of the accident was intense enough to produce bony compression of the C7 vertebra, but no injury occurred to the neural elements in the upper cervical spine. The presence of the ligamentous apparatus maintaining the stable movements of the first vertebral connections is of interest. No delay in recovery occurred, and no late complications developed in the seven months following the accident.
D000328:Adult; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000293:injuries; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed