title: Treatment of upper cervical spine involvement in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
abstract: The cervical spine, especially the upper cervical spine, is a common focus of destruction by rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Because of its potentially debilitating and life-threatening sequelae, cervical spine involvement remains a priority in the diagnosis and treatment of RA. Many studies show that early surgical intervention gives a more satisfactory outcome. Surgery aims to establish spinal stability and to prevent neurological deterioration and injury to the spinal cord, leading to improved neurological function. The recent sophisticated screw-rod-plate technique allows one to obtain a solid fixation of the upper cervical spine with a high possibility of bone union even in RA patients. Although surgery of the occipitoatlantoaxial region is a challenge with many possibilities of serious complications, recent advances in the surgical technique, complete understanding of the anatomy, and precise preoperative evaluation have decreased complication rates. Early consultation with a specialized spine surgeon is mandatory once cervical involvement is suspected in an RA patient because once the patient becomes myelopathic, the rate of long-term mortality increases and the chance of neurological recovery decreases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. neo@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neo
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*