Where is odontoid located

In a Type III fracture, the bone is broken below the base of the peg. Some fractures are considered stable, and some are unstable.

In a stable fracture, the bone does not move out of its normal anatomical position and alignment. In an unstable fracture, the bone is more likely to move out of its normal position and alignment. Type II fractures are considered the least stable of the odontoid fractures.

This makes them the most likely to require surgery. A fracture that compresses the spinal cord may injure its delicate fibers. This type of injury to the spinal cord is called myelopathy, and it may lead to neurological symptoms like pain or numbness in the back, legs, and arms. If a Type II Odontoid Fracture is suspected, the doctor may order the following diagnostic procedures:. Type II odontoid fractures occur when the cervical spine is hyperflexed bent severely backward or hyperextended bent severely forward.

Hyperflexion and hyperextension can be caused by trauma such as a fall or whiplash from a motor vehicle accident. Age plays a big role in the incidence of odontoid fractures—they are the most common type of cervical spine fractures in patients older than This is probably due to the increased risk of falls in the elderly, as well as the greater incidence of osteoporosis a condition of weak and brittle bones.

Type II odontoid fractures can also occur in younger patients, most commonly as the result of trauma from a motor vehicle accident. Treatment options for type II odontoid fractures can be nonsurgical or surgical. Nonsurgical measures include immobilization, prevent or restrict movement, in a cervical collar or halo vest. One surgical option is a procedure called anterior screw fixation. During this procedure, the surgeon approaches the vertebra from the front of the neck an anterior approach and places an internal fixation, like screws, to hold the vertebrae in place while the bone heals.

Another option is a similar procedure performed from the back of the neck a posterior approach. During this procedure, the surgeon fuses C1 and C2, the first and second vertebrae. The treatment of stable odontoid fractures remains controversial. The surgeon will determine the best treatment for each patient and each situation. Type II Odontoid Fracture. Request an Appointment Online.

Telehealth Services. Find a Doctor Find a Doctor. Stress or injury to ligaments that hold the movement of the atlantoaxial joint in check can destabilize the dens, allowing it to disrupt the cervical spine. This may cause paralysis. The dislocation between the atlas and the axis.

This is a very serious, rare injury that at the least will damage your spinal cord. Dislocations are a hyperflexion injury. They can also occur as the result of congenital abnormalities, such as laxity in the ligaments that occurs in Down syndrome, as well as connective tissue problems. Other types of ligament injuries include stress or stretch that may cause excessive motion in the atlantoaxial joint.

And the dens can be fractured, either at the point at the top, at its base on the axis or on the body of the axis. Fractures are thought to be a shearing injury; sometimes they accompany a dislocation and other times not.

When a dislocation is accompanied by a fracture, the odds of your spinal cord remaining intact are better than in the case of dislocation between the atlas and axis only. Other types of neck fractures include, but are not limited to clay shoveler's fracture and simple wedge fracture. As mentioned above, dens fractures are categorized by their height, which is a factor which may predict the prognosis as well as determine the treatment for the injury.

Treatment may take the form of surgery or wearing a brace. It is, of course, best to consult with your spine specialist when deciding what to do about a dens injury, as this is a complicated injury in a very delicate area. Injury to the dens can significantly alter your life.

You may have to adjust to life in a wheelchair overnight, for example. If you'd like to learn more about how people cope with this injury in their day to day existence, and have a good cry while you're at it read the book The Body Broken by Lynne Greenberg.

Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. A review of the diagnosis and treatment of atlantoaxial dislocations. Global Spine J. Ochoa G. Surgical management of odontoid fractures. Fractures of the cervical spine. Clinics Sao Paulo. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth.

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