title: Surgical treatment for irreducible pediatric subaxial cervical unilateral facet dislocation: case report.
abstract: Unilateral facet dislocation at the subaxial cervical spine (C3-7) in children younger than 8 years of age is rare. The authors describe a surgical approach for irreducible subaxial cervical unilateral facet dislocation (SCUFD) at C3-4 in a 5-year-old boy and present a literature review. A dorsal unilateral approach was applied, and a biodegradable plate was used for postreduction fixation without fusion after failed conservative treatment. There was complete resolution of symptoms and restored cervical stability. Two years after surgery, the patient had recovered range of motion in C3-4. In selected cases of cervical spine injury in young children, a biodegradable plate can maintain reduction until healing occurs, obviate the need to remove an implant, and recover the motion of the injured segment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Dingjun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Qining
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Zongrang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Jijun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: CSI = cervical spine injury; MEP = motor evoked potential; ROM = range of motion; SCUFD = subaxial cervical unilateral facet dislocation; SSEP = somatosensory evoked potential; biodegradable plate; nonfusion; pediatric cervical; range of motion; spine; subaxial unilateral facet dislocation