Radiographic assessment of congenital C2-3 synostosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the morphologies of congenital C2-3 synostosis in 25 patients.


METHODS
Radiographs of 11 males and 14 females aged 5 to 74 years with congenital C2-3 synostosis were reviewed. All cases were found incidentally on radiographs when presenting with neck/shoulder discomfort/pain.


RESULTS
13 of the patients had spondylosis in 21 segments: C1-2 (n=1) and C3-4 (n=1), C4-5 (n=7), C5-6 (n=9), and C6-7 (n=3). Of whom 12 had normal sagittal alignment and one had kyphotic synostosis (who developed compensatory hyperlordosis of the caudal mobile segments and subsequent spondylosis at C3-4 and C5 retrolisthesis). The remaining 12 patients had no spondylosis and had normal sagittal alignment, but had other associated pathologies including disc herniation at C3-4, C1 ring hypoplasia, and calcification of the nuchal ligament.


CONCLUSIONS
Normally aligned congenital synostosis of C2-3 is rarely associated with a junctional problem, whereas a kyphotic synostosis is associated with a caudal junctional problem. Spondylosis developing after age 40 years is not associated with C2-3 synostosis.
Moon
Myung-Sang
MS
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cheju Halla General Hospital, Jeju, Korea.
Kim
Sung-Soo
SS
Lee
Bong-Jin
BJ
Moon
Jeong-Lim
JL
Lin
Jin-Fu
JF
Moon
Young-Wan
YW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013580:Synostosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint