Radiographic Assessment and Clinical Outcomes of Conservative Management in Atlanto-Axial Osteoarthritis: A Study of 108 Patients

Atlanto-axial osteoarthritis (AAOA) is a degenerative cervical spine disorder predominantly affecting the elderly. The patients typically present with cervico-occipital pain and restricted and painful neck rotations. The condition is primarily diagnosed with an open-mouth view radiograph, and conservative management is the mainstay of treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of conservative management and a novel technique of greater occipital nerve (GON) block in AAOA and assess the radiographic changes in facet angles and autofusion of the facet joints following conservative management. This study was conducted in patients with AAOA. Pre- and post-treatment visual analog scale (VAS) and neck disability index (NDI) scores were compared to evaluate clinical improvement following conservative treatment. Additionally, the radiographs were also assessed for changes in the facet angles observed in AAOA. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). Statistical tests including paired t tests and correlation coefficients were used. The atlanto-axial facet angle was significantly reduced on the affected side (P < 0.001) compared to the unaffected side. GON block significantly improved VAS and NDI scores (P < 0.001). Auto-fusion of the arthritic facet joint was observed in 15.47% of patients following conservative treatment. Conservative management is the mainstay of AAOA treatment, effectively alleviating pain and improving the quality of life in the affected individuals.