A single fracture in the atlas ring: report of two cases and a review of the literature.
Atlas fractures commonly present more than two breaks in its ring structure because of the unique anatomy and the mechanism of injury. The incidence of a single break in the atlas ring is exceedingly rare. However, we encountered two cases of a single fracture of the atlas. One patient was struck by a falling tree on the right side of the head and the other was involved in a motor vehicle accident. Radiographs of the cervical spine failed to show a single fracture or other abnormalities. Computed tomography demonstrated the single fracture. The patients were treated conservatively with a cervical collar, and they both recovered completely. In this article, we present two cases of a single fracture of the atlas with a review of the literature.
Inaoka
Tsutomu
T
Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. tsutomu-inaoka@uiowa.edu
Ohashi
Kenjirou
K
El-Khoury
Georges Y
GY
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D001915:Braces; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed