title: Two patients with proatlas segmentation malformation.
abstract: A 58-year-old female and an 18-year-old male patient had progressive spastic quadriparesis of 10 years and 6 months duration, respectively. Proatlas segmentation malformation (PSM) was confirmed using three-dimensional (3D) reconstructive CT scans and MRI. Surgical procedures in one patient involved anterior decompression via a transoropharyngeal approach, cranial traction, and posterior occipital-cervical fixation and fusion. His postoperative neurological status had improved remarkably, with imaging showing good realignment of the occipito-atlanto-axial complex with comfortable decompression of the cervico-medulla junction and relief of syringomyelia. MRI and 3D-CT scans are the definitive diagnostic tools for PSM, and appropriate aggressive surgical intervention should be undertaken.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Shangdong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, 314 Jingwuweiqi Road, Jinan 250021, China.
authors.forename: Shangchen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Kaining
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome