title: Cervical myelopathy in an adult due to atlantoaxial subluxation associated with Down syndrome: a case study.
abstract: Atlantoaxial subluxation resulting in cervical myelopathy in patients with Down syndrome has been well documented. The risk of cervical myelopathy is reported to decrease with age, and reports of adult-onset cases are limited. We report an adult patient with Down syndrome who developed cervical myelopathy and was successfully treated by surgery. Because there is little information on this condition with adult onset, we report the features of the radiographic findings. Particular care over the long term should be taken in those who have atlantoaxial subluxation combined with odontoid hypoplasia or accessory ossicles, as they are at particular risk of cervical myelopathy even during adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Motoshige
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seichi
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000473:pathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed