Atlantoaxial subluxation due to os odontoideum combined with cervical spondylotic myelopathy: case report and literature review

Study Design: This was a case report and literature review Objective: We describe a case of os odontoideum combined with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), both of which require surgical treatment. Summary of Background Data: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy is often a disease of the older population, while os odontoideum is a well known disease mainly diagnosed in children and young adults but rarely in the middle-aged population. Os odontoideum combined with cervical spondylotic myelopathy, both of which require surgical treatment is even more rare, there was only one such case in the literature. Methods: We describe a 68-year-old male who underwent C1–C2 posterior screw-rod fixation for os odontoideum and cervical posterior single open-door laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Results: Twelve months after surgery, the patient showed improvement and the plain radiographs showed no loss of correction or instrumentation failure. Conclusions: To our best knowledge, this is the second case of surgical stabilization for both cervical spondylotic myelopathy and myelopathy atlantoaxial subluxation due to os odontoideum.