SURGICALLY TREATED TRAUMATIC SYNCHONDROTIC DISRUPTION OF THE ODONTOIDPROCESS IN A 15-MONTH-OLD GIRL

A case of traumatic synchondrotic disruption in a 15-month-old girl is reported; she was treated with interlaminar wiring of C1-C2 without g rafting. Reduction of the dislocation and angulation and stability wer e achieved without evidence of growth disturbance. However, the child' s initial poor neurological status with tetraplegia below the level of C7 remained unchanged. Besides our case, there are only three other c ases in the literature of young children primarily operated on for a t raumatic odontoid synchondrotic disruption. Even though the dorsal int erlaminar wiring of C1-C2 without grafting is an easy and safe procedu re even in the very young, the optimal form of treatment for this rare injury is still unsettled.